Through The Years
by worrywart
Summary: A look at what the wedding vows Hermione and Severus took may look like through the years. Lots of fluff and romance. A tad bit of angst See author's note in chapter one for a very special reason why I am posting this story.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello!**

**On February 2, 2013, I will celebrate my 25****th**** wedding anniversary. I have decided to honour it by writing twenty-five one-shots to be posted, one per day, beginning twenty-five days before the big day. Imagine my surprise when I realised that twenty-five days before Feb. 2****nd**** is...January 9****th****, an auspicious day for any Severus Snape loving person.**

**These drabble-ish postings will be—for the most part—based on the actual vows my hubby and I took when we married the second time. Now you're scratching your heads, aren't you? We eloped while overseas and then, three years later, married in the Catholic Church. **

**So that you don't think I've repeated a vow twice, I've included the vows that we will be repeating on our anniversary, although in the Episcopalian tradition. The vows of both traditions are similar, yet distinct and beautiful in their own ways.**

**Since there are more days than there are vows between my first posting and my anniversary, I've thrown a few other moments from my marriage into the mix. I hope you enjoy them. **

**Severus and Hermione will be OOC, somewhat fluffy, and occasionally angsty. As usual, I do not own the characters, just the situations I place them into.  
**

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January 9, 2013: Happy Birthday, Severus Snape

Severus rolled over in his sleep, his hand intuitively looking to scoop his wife of five years closer to him. It was a rare morning that Hermione was not in bed next to him, and if she wasn't going to be, he usually would know why beforehand. Where was she?

A crash brought him to full consciousness. He leapt out of bed and called out, "Hermione?" Are you all right? Where are you?"

A muffled voice called back, "I'm fine! Don't worry!"

Severus grumbled to himself, "Too late." Dressed only in his pyjama bottoms (Hermione always took possession of his pyjama tops), he went to find his lioness who, more than likely, was up to no good. He checked the loo, the sitting room, the library, and all were Hermione free. As there were only so many rooms in Spinner's End, he figured she must be in the kitchen; he was certain that was where the crash had come from. The thought filled him with trepidation.

In the five years they had been married, the couple had learned that although she could wield a wand fearlessly, whip up a potion with ease, and correct one hundred poorly written essays in less than one hour, she could not cook. Oh, she could do toast, brew tea, and make a sandwich, but Severus had lost track of the number of eggs she had burned, the kilograms of pasta she had over-boiled, and roasts she had forgotten that she'd put in the cooker. Merlin bless her though, her heart was in it.

Severus stood in the doorway looking at his once tidy kitchen. There stood his wife, looking particularly sexy in nothing but his pyjama top, with a spatula in one hand and a frying pan in the other. The pan hung loosely, dripping what look liked egg yolk onto the floor into a pile of bacon and beans. Lying beside her feet was the source of the crash. The remains of a serving platter glinted in the morning sunshine coming through the window.

Hermione looked up at her husband. She had a shy smile on her face. "Well, that was your birthday breakfast."

They both began laughing. "I appreciate your attempt, love," said Severus. "I would have been happy with just some toast and tea."

"I know, but it's your birthday, and I really wanted to do something a little more than toast."

Severus wandlessly cleaned up the floor as Hermione placed the pan and spatula in the sink.

"Would you allow me to take you out for breakfast, then?" she asked.

"That would be just fine. Where did you have in mind?" Severus had moved closer to Hermione and placed his hands around her waist.

"Um...to my mother's?"

Severus' eyes lit up. His mother-in-law was a wonderful cook. "Would she mind?"

"Oh, no. In fact, I sort of already put her on alert that if this," Hermione waved her hand around the kitchen, "didn't work out, we'd be over."

"I would like that."

"Okay, let's go change, and we'll Apparate over."

Severus watched Hermione ascended the stairs ahead of him, and admired her bottom as it swayed beneath his pyjama shirt. He decided he wanted a little birthday present before they went to her parents.

"Hermione, when did you tell her we'd be over?" he said silkily.

"Around eleven. I told her to fix a brunch. Why?"

They had reached their bedroom when Severus snatched her up into her arms and tossed her onto the bed. "Your bottom looks particularly nice under that shirt, and since it's my birthday, I want to see your bottom out of my shirt."

He pounced on his wife as she giggled, "Happy Birthday, Severus."

They were late for brunch.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much to TycheSong, beta extraordinaire! She catches all the commas, POV's, and other places I had a senior moment. She is the best! **

**Keep in mind as you read my story, that although I am posting this in current time (day by day until 2-2-13), the events in the story will not necessarily be in chronological order. Sometimes Severus and Hermione will have one child, sometimes three. It all depended on the muse and the vow I chose to address for the day. **

**Thank you for the wonderful reviews. I am always humbled when I see my in box brimming with them! Thank you, thank you.**

**JKR owns the Harry Potter universe, I do not. Rats.**

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January 10, 2013: In Sickness

The wail of their eight-month-old son reverberated through their bedroom, waking the couple up much earlier than they wanted.

"Hermione?" Severus asked sleepily. "Hermione?" Severus rolled over to wake his wife. As she was still breastfeeding Steven, she would normally be up first. However, when he nudged her, she felt hot. Severus sat up and felt her forehead. Hermione would definitely not be getting up this morning. He shook her again. "Hermione, love? Do you feel all right?"

Hermione moaned, and Severus could feel her shaking with cold. "Oh, Seberus, I don' feel well at all. Is that Steben?" She made an attempt to get up.

"No, love, I'll get him. Do we have some breast milk in the refrigerator?"

"Yes," Hermione coughed huskily, "but don' use what I bumped last dight; it's in the green boddle. If I have something contagious, I don' want Steben to get it. We habe some formula in the cupboard."

Severus got out of bed and turned to apply a warming charm and tuck Hermione in more cosily. "I'll get you a Pepper-up."

"No, I don' want anyding. Go take care of the baby."

"All right." Severus pressed a kiss to her forehead and conjured a box of facial tissue for her.

Steven was sitting up in his crib, crying, when Severus entered his room. The boy, so much like his father, lifted his arms up in a plaintive 'pick me up' attitude.

Severus crooned to his son as he picked him up and wiped the tears and snot from his face. "Don't worry, Da's here." He lay the whimpering baby down on the changing table and made quick work of Steven's nappy. He fixed his sleeper back into place and picked him up again, cuddling him to his chest. "Mum's not well this morning, so I'll be getting breakfast. Hope you don't mind."

Steven wiggled and giggled a little and then reached up to grab his Da's nose. Severus, normally the most reserved of men, fell to pieces when holding his son. He made 'num numing' noises at the arm that was holding his nose. The baby giggled even louder.

Severus went into the kitchen and quickly fixed some formula, warming it up to temperature. He sat on the sofa, settled Steven into the crook of his arm and popped the bottle into the boy's mouth. Although Steven was old enough to eat a little pabulum, Severus and Hermione had learned that unless they took the edge of the growing boy's appetite, he would eat voraciously and then vomit it up. After a few ounces of milk, Severus stood, placing the boy on his shoulder, patting his back as he made his way to the kitchen.

Steven burped quite loudly and laughed. Severus checked to make sure there were no surprises on his shoulder and then placed the baby in his highchair. The boy babbled and spit while Severus fixed his cereal. Just as he approached the table with the bowl of cereal, he was startled to see the boy look directly at him and say, for the very first time ever, "Da-Da."

A smile broke out on Severus' face as he watched Steven just looking at him with a big spit bubble around his mouth, his chubby little arms flailing about with delight. "Da-da-da-da-da!"

The baby continued to babble and squeal as Severus settled down beside him with the cereal to feed him. Steven was very excited, and made it difficult for his father to feed him.

By cajoling and distraction, Severus managed to get most of the cereal into, rather than onto, his son. Lifting him from his highchair, the pair went into the living room and sat down. Severus popped the bottle into Steven's mouth and Steven clasped his hands around it.

As they watched each other, Steven pulled the bottle out of his mouth and reached one hand up towards Severus' nose. "Da," he said.


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter and the previous are probably the only two that follow chronologically. It just fell out that way. **

**A big woot, woot to all husbands who help out with the sprogs when we mums are sick. **

**A generous, graceful bow to TycheSong for the beta, and to all my reviewers. You're the best!**

**J.K. Rowling owns it, we just get to mess with it.**

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11 January 2013: In Health

Hermione woke the next day feeling considerably better. Severus was not in bed, and Hermione assumed he was taking care of Steven. As she walked into the kitchen, adjusting the tie on her dressing gown, she noticed her boys at the table. Severus was in a chair, reading the Prophet and Steven in his highchair, attempting to pick up a Cheerio from his tray.

"Cheerios, Severus? He's only got three teeth."

"He rolls them around until they are mush and then spits them out." Severus waved a hand at the gloopy mess on Steven's tray. Folding his paper and setting it on the table, he asked, "Tea?"

"Yes, that would be lovely," she said, watching as Severus poured her a cup.

"How are you feeling this morning?"

"Much better, thanks." She took a sip of her tea. "Oh, this feels wonderful on my throat."

Steven noticed his mother and started babbling at her, but when she went to pick him up, he flung his body away and lifted his arms toward his father.

"Da! Da!"

Hermione stepped back and gasped. "When did he start saying your name?"

"Yesterday," Severus replied.

Hermione looked at her husband, who was smirking. She watched him carefully. She knew he was quite proud about this, and the only giveaway to his feelings was the crinkles of amusement around his eyes. She played along. "You're not thrilled about that, are you?"

"No, not at all."

Hermione playfully slapped hm. "Liar."

"Hermione, when he first said it, I was prouder than when I got my Mastery." He took her hands in his. "You know this is something I never thought would happen."

"I am so happy for you, Severus," she said, hugging her husband around his shoulders and kissing his cheek.

_3 a.m._

"Da! Da! Da! Da!"

"Hermione, the baby needs something."

"He's not calling for me."

"Da! Da! Da! Da!"

Severus got out of bed, muttering as she shuffled out of the room, "Well, he is his mother's son...never stops talking."

Hermione's giggle followed him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Many thanks for all the lovely reviews, including the anonymous ones...timsandsophsmom...you twit, you have your PM turned off! It's okay folks, I can yell at her...she's related!**

**Special thanks to TycheSong for the beta. Any mistakes you see today are mine, not hers!**

**Again, JKR, the lucky you-know-what owns it, I don't.**

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12 January 13: The Proposal

Hermione sat on the couch with her newborn daughter suckling at her breast. The ten-week-old was the spitting image of Hermione, whereas her five year old son, Steven, was the image of his father down to the slightly larger than average nose.

Just as Hermione switched her daughter from one breast to the other, Steven skipped into the room. He was followed by his father, who sat down next to Hermione and leaned over to kiss his daughter's head.

"Happy birthday, Mummy!" Steven sang, dropping a scroll into her lap and then running away.

Hermione looked up at her husband who leaned into kiss his wife. "Happy birthday, love."

"You remembered," she exclaimed, unlatching Sarah from her breast and handing her to Severus.

"Of course, I am not a dunderhead, Hermione." He rolled his eyes, but quickly turned his attention to the wiggly mass in his hands.

Hermione watched father and daughter consider each other as she did up her bra and robes. She smiled when Severus pressed a kiss to Sarah's tiny cheek and then asked her, "Should mummy have her present even though she thinks I am a dunderhead?" Sarah just lay there, her eyes focused on the man in front of her.

Hermione giggled at the two of them and then opened the scroll in her lap. Steven had drawn a little picture of the four of them down by the lake, the giant squid waving a tentacle in the background. "Steven, come here!" she called.

Steven scampered out to the sitting room. "Yes, Mummy?"

Hermione held up the picture and kissed her son's cheek. "Thank you for the lovely picture, Steven."

Blushing, the boy rubbed off the kiss and sat on the floor, pulling a book from the table in front of him to look at.

Hermione ruffled the boy's long black hair and turned her attention back to her husband, who was shifting as he sat. "Here," he said, tossing Hermione a slim package.

"Thank you," she said, eagerly undoing the parcel.

She gasped as she opened the lid on the box. On a bed of cotton wool sat a rock and a seashell. Any other woman would have been angry, but to Hermione, who understood the significance, she began to tear up.

"You remember how you proposed?" she said, wiping her eyes.

"Indeed I do."

Both looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"We were looking for potions ingredients in the Loch Ness region," Hermione remembered. "I was furious because it was my birthday, and it was getting late. I was supposed to meet Ron and Harry at the Three Broomsticks for drinks, and then you and I were going out. I needed time to get ready."

"Yes, and in your haste to gather the ingredients, you knocked me down the ravine, and I rolled right into the lake."

"I did not!" Hermione said indignantly. "And besides, you grabbed me and pulled me down with you!"

"Well, it was _you_ who tried to Apparate us back to Hogwarts and missed by several hundred miles, and we ended up in the North Sea!"

"You were yelling at me so much I couldn't concentrate."

The pair continued to laugh at the memory.

Severus sobered up a bit and said, "I hadn't intended to ask you to marry me there. I had it all planned out to ask at a romantic dinner. The ring was in my quarters."

"Well, you asked me, and that meant the world." She leaned into Severus. "It was funny finding the rocks in your pockets later."

"And you, sentimental idiot you are, managed to find a seashell before we Apparated back to the castle." Severus smiled and with his free hand, stroked Hermione's hair.

"Are these the actual…?"

"Yes. I do not have many keepsakes, Hermione, you know that. But that day made me very happy, so I tucked away the rock and seashell. They've been in my lab this whole time."

"Oh, Sev, you are such a romantic git."

"Don't let that get around," he smiled.

Hermione and Severus shared a kiss, being careful not to squash the baby Severus held in his arms. An "ew" interrupted them. They looked up to see Steven with a disgusted look on his face.

"Can we have lunch?"

"Certainly," said his father. "Hermione, Luna will watch the children tonight. Please dress up in something sexy and Muggle so I can take you out to dinner, all right?"

Hermione's eyes twinkled. "That's very all right. I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

**A/N: My hubby proposed by a duck pond in Wiesbaden, Germany. We spent our honeymoon in England and Scotland, and we indeed visited both Loch Ness and the North Sea. And we really do have a rock and a seashell from both places.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews, folks. You're the best! **

**Thank you, TycheSong, as well!**

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13 January 2013: To Love

Severus spent quite a bit of time in his lab in the last two weeks, puttering about with experiments that led nowhere. With exasperation, he threw down his stirring rod. He should _not _this distracted simply because Hermione was not at home.

Hermione was on vacation in Australia visiting her parents, and he missed her. _Missed her_. Only a fool would miss a woman. Except that if he thought about it, he was indeed, a fool.

He could find nothing to occupy his time. There were no urgent potions that he needed to brew for the infirmary. Even his research, as evidenced by the mess in front of him, held no inspiration. He had never realized that having another body in his quarters, even if not interacting directly with him, was such a calming and relaxing influence.

He and Hermione had started dating two years after the war. She had returned for her make-up year once the school re-opened and then took up the post as Charm Mistress upon her graduation. It took the next year before the two of them were comfortable enough with the past to begin working on the present. She was everything he hadn't realized he needed in a partner; intelligent, witty, pretty, sexy, and she had no qualms of putting anyone in their place should they attempt to verbally attack him. She was his fierce lioness.

This time alone did give him a chance to think about their relationship. He wondered if he loved her...if this feeling of comfort and peace was what love meant.

He thought he had loved Lily. He remembered the swooping sensation of his stomach when he'd catch a glimpse of her in the halls at school. He also remembered having to have a firm talk with himself that just because she was with Potter, didn't mean she always would be, and that there was still a chance. He also remembered the pain of knowing she was getting married, and he spent that fateful day drunk. He never stopped hoping Lily would come to her senses and come back to him, even after her marriage and the birth of her son.

As time and the war passed, he began his friendship with Hermione, first as a colleague and then as more than that. He realized that his devotion to Lily was devotion to a memory of what _was_ and what _could have been_. Now he knew that what _can be_ was right in front of him.

When he woke up each morning, his first thought was of seeing Hermione at breakfast. He would arrive at her rooms, kiss her soundly, and then walk with her to the Great Hall. They would sit side by side, seemingly unaware of each other. However, beneath the tablecloth, the two held hands, rubbing circles on each others skin.

He felt comfortable with her. He had a confidence about their relationship that was reassuring, not panic ridden...no worries about someone coming along and taking her away from him. He was happy with her. He liked who he was with her.

Yes, Severus, decided. He loved Hermione Granger. He should probably tell her, too.


	6. Chapter 6

14 January 2013: Honour

Hermione stood at the front of her first year Charms class, watching the pairs of students perform the _Wingardium Leviosa_. The class was going well, but one pair seemed to be having trouble. She watched the determined look of her son, Steven, as he attempted the spell, carefully enunciating the syllables, but to no avail.

Hermione was concerned; he could perform the charm perfectly when he visited their quarters. Before she could approach the boys to correct their technique, the bell rang.

"All right class, I'd like a half roll of parchment on the correct way to perform this charm. Be sure to read the next chapter in your text. Have a good day! Mr. Snape, please see me before you leave."

The class chatted as they quickly packed up and gave Steven a good ribbing about being held back. Hermione held the door open as the class left, and when it just the two of them, she closed it and went to her desk.

"Steven," she said, "you seem to be distracted today. Is everything all right?" She looked at her son's face, already so handsome, even more so than his father, regardless of the Snape nose. He had moved into the dorms with the other Slytherin boys when he started school. Her maternal instincts wanted to hug him to her, but she knew it was time for him to fall into the rigors of boarding school life, and that meant no mollycoddling mothering.

Steven looked at his hands. "It's nothing," he said.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

She watched Seven fidget a bit before he blurted, "Mum, why are you Professor Granger and not Professor Snape?"

Hermione's eyebrows rose in surprise, but before she could answer, Steven continued, "The guys in the dorms were asking why your name isn't the same as Dad's. They wondered if you were really married. They said some awful things about that. They said if you really respected Dad, you would have taken his name."

Hermione wondered just what some of the awful things that had been said were, but she sought to reassure her son first. "Steven, I do love your father, very much. Never, ever think that I don't. I decided to remain Professor Granger so there would be no confusion for the students."

"But, don't you like the Snape name? Don't you want to be considered part of the Snape legacy? After all, Dad did do some amazing things. He's a hero!" He looked at his mother earnestly as he spoke.

Hermione wasn't sure how to respond. Severus was amazing; he had done and continued to do amazing, heroic things. She was a heroine in her own right, and her prideful side told her that she didn't need to take Severus' name to be remembered for her own accomplishments. However, she had not considered that keeping her maiden name might be a problem for her children. They were Snapes after all. Besides, it was common in the Muggle world for women to keep their maiden names.

Suddenly realisation hit her. She was _not_ in the Muggle world; she was in the Wizarding world, and they held onto traditional male/female roles rather staunchly regardless of whatever accomplishments she or the other female war heroes had done.

"Steven," she began. "I had not considered that you would get bullied about this."

"Oh, I'm not bullied," he assured her. "I just take a lot of flak for it."

"Regardless, I want you to understand that my using my maiden name is not a reflection on your father or you at all. I just wanted to be considered for my own accomplishments rather than being known Professor Snape's wife."

"But don't you like being Dad's wife?" Steven's face reflected his fear that perhaps his mother did not like being a Snape after all.

"Of course I do! Your father is incredible! He is a hero, I love him and..." she realised she was getting worked up and that would not reassure Steven in the least. "You're right about all the things you've said. Let me do some thinking about this, won't you?"

"All right mum," Steven said, visibly relieved. "Can I have a pass for my next class?"

"Certainly. Will you stop by this weekend?"

"Maybe," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "There is a Quidditch game. Slytherin is bound to win, and there'll be a party after."

Hermione smiled. She remembered the all night victory parties in Gryffindor when they won. Laughing she said, "Go on you! We'll see you soon."

Steven left the classroom, and Hermione sat at her desk. She had never really considered how keeping her maiden name might be perceived. She could give a flying bat bogey about what the Wizarding World thought about her anyway. Her reputation had been thoroughly been trashed during her years at school, and she had developed a thick hide. But, she hadn't considered her children. She was very proud of Severus and all he had done. She was proud to married to him, to love him, to honour him.

Perhaps? She looked quickly at her watch. She had a free period before supper and office hours began. If she hurried, she could just do it. She grabbed her cloak and hurried away.

The night time ritual of office hours and get-the-girls to bed was completed, and Hermione and Severus were finally getting ready for bed themselves. Severus chanced a look at his pillow and saw an official scroll. "Hermione, when was this delivered? What does the damn ministry want now?"

Hermione came out of the bathroom, wiping her face. "The ministry didn't have that delivered. I set it there."

"What is it?" he asked suspiciously.

"Open and see, git!" Hermione smiled in anticipation.

Severus sat on the edge of their bed and unrolled the scroll, scanning the contents.

_**D**epartment **O**f **M**agical **M**atrimony **A**nd **B**irth **R**ecords_

_This is an official record of intent that Hermione Jean Granger hereby grants that henceforth, legally and communally, she is Hermione Jean Snape, wife of Severus Tobias Snape. _

_Original date of Marriage: November 21, 2002_

_Name of husband at marriage: Severus Tobias Snape_

_Name of wife at marriage: Hermione Jean Granger_

_Addendum to record: October 16, 2019_

_Name of husband at date of addendum: Severus Tobias Snape_

_Name of wife at date of addendum: Hermione Jean Snape_

_Let it be known through the Wizarding United Kingdom that I, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister of Magic, do hereby grant and approve this decree._

_Signed,  
_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt  
_

_Minister  
_

_Counter-Signed,  
_

_Ignatius Mangiello  
_

_Officer of The Department of Magical Matrimony and Birth Records  
_

Severus looked at Hermione. "Why the sudden change? You know I never minded that you kept your maiden name."

Hermione sat at the edge of the bed with Severus and took his hand in hers. "Steven came to me after class today. Apparently, his dorm mates were giving him a bit of a rough time about why I wasn't known as Professor Snape. He wondered if I cared at all about you, what you had done. I explained why I chose to keep my name, but he still looked a little confused and let down. Like I had no respect for you, and what being a Snape meant."

"Hermione, you know it doesn't bother me."

"I do know that, love, but when I thought about what he said, I realized that I am really quite proud of you, and I do love you. To honour that love, I decided to take your name."

Severus cupped his wife's cheek. She could see the pride in his eyes. "I am honoured, Hermione. But to wear the Snape name comes with a lot of baggage; some of it good, a lot of it bad."

"I know that. We've managed before regardless of my last name. We'll continue on as we were, just with a few less letters for me to use when I sign my name."

Severus chuckled and leaned in for a kiss. "Madam Snape, I love you."

"I love you too, Severus."

At breakfast the next morning, Minerva stood and called for order in the Great Hall. "I have just a short announcement this morning. Please note that Professor Granger has changed her name and will now be known as Professor Snape. Please address her accordingly. Eat up now!"

Steven snapped his head up and looked at his mother. She smiled at Steven, shaking a piece of paper in her hand so he'd notice. She mouthed to him, "It's official." He smiled back, ducking his head in acknowledgement. A hand gripped hers and squeezed it. She turned and smiled at her husband.

It was indeed an honour to love this man, she thought.

* * *

_**My marriage license is in nine different languages, and there are indeed two spots on it where we had to fill out what last name each of us would be known by upon our marriage (as I believe is the case in the US as well). The German officials explained to us that Mr. Worrywart could have taken my last name rather than the more traditional option. Or, I could have kept my maiden name, which would have made the US government happy (I had a top secret security clearance at the time, and changing my name meant reams of paperwork for them). Being a traditionalist, I did take my husband's name, made my supervisors mad, and now happily count a pack of Scottish folks as part of my family tree.**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Again, many thanks to TycheSong for all her wonderful beta work.**

**For all the wonderful reviews, follows, and faves, I am most honoured.**

**J.K. Rowling owns it, I do not.**

**Just a reminder, this story wanders back and forth through the years. That's means sometimes the Snapes are newly married, and other times, have children. It just depended on the muse. She's a silly thing.**

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15 January 2013: Good Times

The Annual Order meeting was held every August, a week before those who taught at Hogwarts had to report back to the castle. The meeting had outgrown Grimmauld Place, and The Burrow now played host as Molly and Arthur had enough property to accommodate them and all the activities that went on throughout the day.

Severus did not like to attend, period. He'd had enough of working with some of the members throughout the school year and frankly, he'd had enough of the others during the war. However, there were two reasons he begrudgingly attended this year. Firstly, Hermione needed help with the children, especially now that her third pregnancy was nearing its completion. Steven and Sarah kept her on-the-go all summer. If it hadn't been for the week her parents had visited from Australia, Hermione would have been overwhelmed. Secondly, Molly Weasley's cooking beat the curmudgeonly Kreacher's, wands down.

When they arrived, the Snape family was welcomed by the Weasley matron who hugged Severus against his wishes, pinched Steven against _his_ wishes, and fussed over the state of Hermione and Sarah, the former looking "tired", and the latter looking "too thin".

As with any gathering, Muggle or Wizard, each generation split into groups. The kids all ran off to play games; the older ones playing Quidditch, and the younger ones looking for gnomes or playing house. The women gathered in the kitchen to drink tea and talk about the men and babies, and the men gathered under a shady tree to drink firewhiskey, chat about the women and Quidditch.

The day flew by and twilight started to fall. Dinner had been eaten, and the group was replete and lazy. They were waiting for the fireworks to begin that would signal the end of the day.

Severus sat in a chair, a bit away from the group and observed the people surrounding him. Molly and some of the other women were busy fussing around the table, putting away the leftovers. She would occasional shoo away a red headed individual who attempted to sneak yet another sugary confection to eat.

Nearer to hand was his own beautiful wife, round with their third child within her womb. She sat, knitting and chatting with the other women, their three-year-old daughter at her feet, playing on a blanket. Severus noticed among the group of women that the Weasley clan would be growing by...what...four more this year? He shook his head in dismay at the rapidity at which they produced children.

His attention was diverted when he saw his daughter, Sarah, get up from her blanket and toddle away. Before either Hermione or Severus could get up and chase after her, Steven was there, guiding his little sister to the swing set not far away from the crowd. Severus watched with pleasure as the boy helped his sister onto a seat and gently push her, her laughter floating on the air.

Severus looked to Hermione, who was looking at the pair, her eyes shining in the darkening light. She turned her head toward him and smiled, pursing her lips into a kiss at him. He smirked at her gesture.

High pitched laughter from the Quidditch pitch caused him to look in that direction. Seven or eight young adults, all of whom he knew from Hogwarts, swooped and dipped, passing the Quaffle and laughing as they played the game. He knew that a few of them would be wandering off to find a secluded spot to fumble around and hope their parents wouldn't find them too soon.

A low Scottish lilt began to sing from the group of older woman sitting near the house. _"Oh dear,"_ he thought. _"Minerva's in her cups again."_

Severus considered the glass of whiskey in his own hand and thought his fate. Time had been kind to him. The war was over. He had a wife and two children, another one on the way. The day wasn't so bad after all, he had to admit.

When he thought about where he was so many years ago...lonely, miserable, wishing for death, he realised that life was better now...life was good.

A hand on his shoulder interrupted his musings. He reached up with his own and took the slim hand, pulling his wife around to sit on his lap. He kissed her hand.

"What were you so deep in thought about, Severus?"

"Believe it or not, Hermione, I was thinking about today, about these people. Life is good, isn't? We have so much to be grateful, don't we?"

Hermione kissed his forehead. "We do, love, we do."

Before she could say anything else, the fireworks began. Severus chivvied her off his lap, and they turned to watch the display. Steven and Sarah came to stand with them, and Severus picked up Sarah so she could see better. She thanked him with a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

_"Yes,"_ he thought, _"these are good times."_

* * *

A/N: So many memories came to me as I wrote this chapter about the family gatherings I went to as a youngster. I have six brothers and sisters, and once you add a spouse per each sibling and their children, pandemonium usually reigned! Mr. Worrywart and I married in the church about three years after we originally married in Germany. We had the service in my hometown, and then I just wanted a good old family cookout afterward. It was a blast...beer tends to help that along. My father, who was known for his horrible jokes and quick-response wit, enjoyed just watching and listening to all of us.

Mr. Worry's favourite memory of that day is as it was becoming darker and we wondered where my father had gotten to. So someone hollered out, 'Dad, where are you?' He replied, 'I'm sitting here in the shade under the tree'. So many happy memories about family gatherings...all were good times.


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks to my neighbor and his snow blower, you're getting this chapter early in the morning rather than when I get home from work.

It's a bit angsty. Not everything in marriage is all duckies and bunnies.

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.

TycheSong is the best beta...just saying.

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January 16, 2013: Bad Times

Hermione and Severus sat on chairs placed on either side of Sarah's bed in the hospital wing. Each held one of her hands in their own, Severus rubbing his thumb along the little girl's knuckles, and Hermione rubbing her free hand along the girl's arm.

Poppy bustled up to them. "Hermione, Severus; Sarah will be alright. Steven was a good boy and brought her here as soon as he found her."

Severus cleared his throat. "But why was she in my potions store cupboard in the first place? Why wasn't it warded?" He glared at Hermione.

"Severus," Poppy said, "it was accident. We don't know how the door was left unwarded."

"It was me," Hermione whispered.

"Tsk. Hermione, you can't be sure," Poppy said.

Severus stood, angrily. "I have told you time and time again that during your pregnancies you are to allow me to set the wards. You know your magic is unstable at this time. We could have lost our daughter, Hermione. What were you thinking?" He loomed over his wife, his mouth set in a thin line, eyes wet with anger and fear.

Hermione burst into tears. Through her sobs, she attempted to explain that she had gotten some fluxweed out to make a paste to soothe the eczema that she was prone to during pregnancy. She would have had Severus to get it for her, but he was chaperoning in Hogsmeade this morning. She tried to explain that she re-set the wards and they seemed to have come up. She was busy mixing the paste and didn't notice that Sarah had wandered away until Steven screamed for his mother.

"Yes, and your carelessness resulted in this." He pointed to his daughter who was breathing shallowly. "What in Merlin's name were you thinking, woman! How can I forgive you?"

Hermione stood and left the infirmary on the run.

"Severus," Poppy said, "was that really necessary?"

"I have told her time and again, Poppy," he spat. "Our daughter almost died!"

Poppy placed a placating hand on Severus' shoulder. "Severus, you know Hermione would never purposely put any of your children in danger, ever. She is always level headed and careful. This was an accident; you know that. And to say you will never forgive?" She looked up into the eyes of the man she had known intimately since his first year. "I thought you had learned about the worth of forgiveness?"

"But I could have lost my daughter!" he said fearfully.

"And you're willing to lose your wife, too? She has given you everything Severus...love, honour, respect, two children and another on the way."

The two eyed each other, their thoughts passing between each other in the way that only long-time friends have.

"Sarah will sleep for several more hours. I will keep an eye on her. Go find your wife, Severus."

Severus stood, looking at his daughter for a moment or two longer before leaning over, kissing her on the forehead and nuzzling her cheek with his nose.

He walked slowly down the halls, not even taking points from the occasional student he saw. He was angry and devastated at the same time. His daughter, the apple of his eye, was lying in a hospital bed after having ingested a potentially dangerous potion ingredient. His wife, whom he loved more than his own life, was responsible. Why? Why had she not kept Sarah in their quarters while she got the ingredients she needed? Why didn't she just ask a house elf to bring her the things she needed?

He arrived at their quarters and gave the password. He slipped in quietly, expecting to find Hermione in their sitting room. She was not there. He looked in their kitchen and finally their bedroom where found her on the bed, sobbing. He never could deal with sobbing women.

"Hermione," he said quietly.

"Go away," came her muffled reply.

"Hermione, please. I was angry. I know you wouldn't purposely hurt our children."

Hermione sat up. "But you'd surely think it was my fault this happened wouldn't you?" she said angrily.

Severus couldn't disagree with her. He did think it was her fault. They both knew her magic was unreliable during pregnancy. How to express what he truly felt without making her more angry was not going to be easy, but he couldn't just not let it go.

"Hermione, why didn't you ask a house elf to get what you needed? Why didn't you ask Poppy for some paste? I know she has some."

She glared at him. "You know how I feel about using the elves for trivial things."

"Well, they could have watched Sarah while you went to get the ingredients."

"Severus, I don't want to hear what I should have done from you. I am sorry that this happened. But it was an accident, and I am sorry."

"I know, love. I am angry, I won't deny it. I am sorry, however, that I said the awful things I said, though. Being angry at each other won't change the fact that the accident happened."

"No it won't," she agreed. "Oh, Severus. If I had a time turner, I would fix this."

"Yes, it would, but you don't have one so it's a moot point."

Hermione sat up and moved into Severus' welcoming embrace. "I am so sorry, Severus. I give you my word, it won't happen again," she said through her tears.

"I know you won't." Severus pressed her closer to him. "Poppy said she'll sleep a few more hours yet. Let's find Steven and get something to eat."

"I don't want to go to the Great Hall."

"We'll call for something here. I know, I know," he said, forestalling the disapproval he knew was coming from his wife. "I happen to know they are serving stew for supper tonight; we'll ask for some of that with bread and some pudding. That way, we are not making extra work for the elves."

Hermione kissed Severus' cheek. "Thank you. That will be fine."

"After we eat, the three of us will go to the hospital wing and wait for Sarah to wake up, and then we'll bring her home."

"Can she sleep with us tonight?" Hermione asked. Severus disapproved of the children sleeping with them. Sitting warmly together while reading was one thing, sleeping in their bed all night was another.

"This one time, yes, she can sleep with us."

Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Severus."

Later that evening, with his daughter tucked securely beside him, he looked over at her and then to Hermione, who also slept. He knew from the light snoring coming from the floor, that Steven was also sleeping soundly. The boy had convinced his parents to let him make a pallet on the floor to be near his sister.

Gods, he loved them and he was grateful that he had them all. With a sigh, he pulled Sarah closer to him and then pulled Hermione closer as well, and fell asleep.

* * *

A/N: The phone call you get telling you your child needs to go to the hospital because of an accident is one you never forget. All of your adrenaline rushes to your gut and feet and your heart stops.

Worrywart Jr. was at summer camp when he was eight and got hit in the face with a golf club. His sweet face was gaping open from the tip of his nose to the top of his upper lip. He had a broken nose and maxilla (the bone under the nose). Hundreds of stitches later by a plastic surgeon and he was, thank the good Lord, fine, albeit forever left with a slightly off kilter nose.

Mr. Worry slept with him that night, afraid our son might choke given that they had packed a ton of cotton in his nose. Worry Jr. looked rough for days, but he was thrilled when he discovered he could put TWO fingers in one nostril at the same time. Boys...


	9. Chapter 9

A little fun with the Snapes.

J.K. Rowling wrote it first, and now she lets us play with it. What a woman!

TycheSong is also quite a woman who betas my stories. I am sure I've given her gray hair.

To my cadre of faithful reviewers: Bless you and thank you! All others are more than welcome to join my review team.

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January 17, 2013: What's In A Name?

"Sylvia?"

"No."

"Sharon?"

"No."

"Sebastian?"

"No, you git, we have a daughter!" Hermione slapped the back of his head as she shuffled by, gathering items and packing her bag.

"Just testing. Siobhan?"

"No."

"Stella? Shona? Sonia? Sasha? Shirley? Sheena?"

"No, no, no, no, no, and no."

"Pick _something_, Hermione, we can't take the child home until we name her," Severus said, exasperatedly as he sat on the hospital bed next to his newborn daughter, his fingers tracing her cheeks as she slept.

"You know, in some states in the U.S., you have up to two years to name your child," Hermione stated.

"We do not live in the U.S. woman; we live in the magical United Kingdom, and our laws state Poppy can't discharge you or the child until it has a name."

"But Severus, I don't want to her name to start with an 'S'."

"All our other children's names start with 'S', why not? Mine starts with an 'S'. The alliteration is the key." He picked up the pink bundle and admired the little girl's beauty as only a father could.

"No, it's not." Hermione stamped her foot. "Besides, all of your names sound so _snakish_. Severus Snape, Steven Snape, Sarah Snape. So far, you and Steven are Slytherins, and with as devious as Sarah is, she's a certainty for Slytherin as well." She sat on the bed next to her husband.

"You had no problem with this when we named the other children."

"Why can't I have a child that is not quite so snaky? Please Severus? After all, I did just give birth to her." She snuggled her head into his chest.

"Your attempts to coerce me will not work," he sniffed, putting the baby back down on the bed.

"Why not?"

"Because I am immune."

"No you're not."

"I am so."

"If you were immune, then why do we have _three_ children and not the two you insisted would be enough?" She smiled at him with a gleam in her eye.

Severus growled and Hermione giggled.

"What names were you thinking of?" Severus asked.

"Only one actually and honestly, it sort of still is in keeping with the alliteration you like."

"Do tell."

"Marni."

"Marni?"

"Yes. Marni Eileen Snape.

"Hermione, that is not even remotely alliterative. All it does is repeat the 'N' sound. However, it is not objectionable."

"Really?" Hermione squealed.

"Really, and you've made my ear ring," said Severus, rubbing his ear.

"Oh, Severus! Thank you. Poppy, we've decided on a name!"

"Oh good," said the matron as she bustled over, parchment in hand. "I'll just have you two sign the birth certificate and then you can go introduce—"she trailed off, questioningly.

"Marni Eileen Snape," said Hermione, beaming.

Poppy nodded her head in acknowledgement, "—Marni to the staff. But don't stay out too long. You still need to recover Hermione."

'I won't, Poppy," Hermione said as she swathed Marni in blankets and then handed her to Severus.

The three Snapes left the wing together, Marni safely tucked in her father's arms.

* * *

When we were awaiting the arrival of Worrywart, Jr., Mr. W and I had many long discussions about names. We had decided on a girl's name rather quickly. The boy's name was a little more difficult.

I wanted to name the child after Mr. Worrywart, but he insisted there was no room on any form for _III_ (Mr. W was already a Jr.). Some of the names Hubby liked were horrible, and we might well have just tattooed 'beat me up' on the child's forehead. We finally agreed that we liked names that began with the letter 'Z'. Along came our son. At the time I needed to fill out the birth certificate, we still didn't have a middle name! Mr. W. came up with his middle name, and we took aptly named child home.

WW Jr. Is now 21 and only about five years ago did I discover why Mr. W. chose a middle name that begins with an 'A'. He said since his first name started with the last letter of the alphabet, he wanted his middle name to start with the first letter. Ta-da!


	10. Chapter 10

January 18, 2013: Faithful

Hermione sat on the patio swing at her parent's house, feeling heavy with sadness. The book she was trying to read lay forgotten in her lap. She looked at her mother's garden and let the light breeze wash the scent of lavender and annuals over her.

The patio door slid open and Hermione turned her head to see her mother step outside. "Hello, mum."

"I've brought some tea. I thought we could talk."

"Thanks," she said, sitting more upright.

Jean Granger set the tea tray down on the table and took a seat next to Hermione. "Oh, love," she said, reaching out to stroke her hair. When Hermione slid toward her, Jean lifted an arm and pulled her daughter in for a cuddle. Continuing to stroke her daughter's hair, the pair was silent for a few minutes. "Do you remember when you were little, and we hated having to wash your hair?"

Hermione smiled sadly. "By the time we combed out the snarls and tangles, we were both in tears."

"Is it still hard to wash? It looks tamer and less bushy."

"Yes, it's not as bushy and magic helps." Hermione sighed and leaned more heavily on her mother.

"What happened, love? You and Severus have never fought like this before, have you?"

"No; we've had little rows, usually about the students or some of our research, but never very serious. This was...this was horrible."

"What was the difference?"

Hermione rubbed her face against her mother, sniffling. "Oh, mum. I love him deeply, and he knows it. What I don't understand is how at times, he seems so confident about us and then at others, he doesn't seem to know where we stand. It's like he can't believe he is wanted and can be loved, let alone be married."

"I remember when we first met him," her mother began. "He sat in a corner like a young child; you know, the ones who get invited to the party, but can't quite get over the fact it might all be a joke, and that someone is going to pull the rug out from under them."

"He cares deeply for you and Dad, both. You've treated him with such respect, and he admires you so."

"Yes, but it took awhile to get there, didn't it? But that still doesn't tell me what happened."

"It started six weeks ago. I was asked by the Ministry to help the Unspeakables with an artefact they found in Armenia. It was heavily charmed, and they needed my expertise in finding how to break the charms. I was bound by oath not to reveal what I was doing. I couldn't even tell Severus.

"At first, he was okay with it until I had to take a few days off from teaching to devote to the problem, and then I needed to go to Armenia. When I couldn't tell him what I had done or who I'd been with, he became suspicious and sullen. Things blew up when The Prophet published a picture of me and one of the Unspeakables at lunch one afternoon; you can imagine what happened next given my history with that rag."

"Ah. And of course, regardless of the innocence of the situation, the secrecy you were bound to was too much for Severus?"

"Yes. I have made it a point in our relationship to always be honest and open with Severus so that he'd never have to wonder or worry. But this was not something I could control, no matter how much I tried to explain it to him."

"What about your friends, do you think they could help?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "Well, perhaps. But not Harry or Ron."

"Severus would hex them limb to limb, I fear." Jean was well aware of the animosity between her irascible son-in-law and Hermione's childhood friends.

"Too right," Hermione giggled. "Perhaps I could speak to Kingsley."

The women sat in silence, sipping their tea. A crack in the distance startled them both. Looking to the left, a tall, dark figure was coming through the copse of trees that lined the back of the Granger property.

Jean stood and gathered the tea things. "Should I bring some more tea?"

"Not yet."

"I'll be inside if you need anything."

"Thanks, mum," Hermione said, standing and walking toward Severus.

The two met at the edge of the garden and stood facing each other.

"Hello, Sev," Hermione said, hands her pockets, standing just a few feet away from her husband.

"Hermione." He inclined his head toward her.

"Would you like to have a seat?" She pointed to the swing. "Some tea?"

"Nothing to drink, thank you; but yes, I'd like to sit."

They walked to the patio and sat on either end of the swing. After a moment, Severus grasped Hermione's arm and pulled her close.

"Hermione, I am sorry. I've been a fool. I went to talk to Kingsley today."

"My mother had just suggested that I speak to him as well; get him to talk to you."

"Yes, well. I know you had an oath, Hermione, but you've never had secrets from me since we started our relationship, and then when I saw the picture; well, I am not the most confident of men about relationships."

"But you know that I love you; you know I would never break my vow of faithfulness to you."

"I know. I am sorry for even thinking you would."

"You should be," she said, pulling away from him a bit.

"What?" Severus said, confused.

"I think the thing I am most angry about is that you even suspected that I _could_ be unfaithful to you. I have been open and honest with you in all things. It hurt, Sev. Don't you trust me?"

"I do, Hermione, I do. And coming from me, you know that means something. I just had a moment of stupidity." He looked into her eyes, and in a near pleading voice asked, "Please don't do any more work for the Unspeakables."

"That's not for you to decide. I will always help when I am needed, if I can. But, the chance of it happening again is very slim, so it is really a non-issue."

Severus was visibly relieved. "I said some horrible things to you. Will you forgive me?"

"I will Severus. I am sorry, too. I said some awful things to you last night as well."

"It's all right. I must learn to reign in my temper and to trust you more," he said, pulling her again toward him and holding her tightly.

They sat quietly for a while longer watching the afternoon deepen to dusk.

"Hermione, Severus?" a voice floated out to them from the patio door. "Would you like to stay for supper? I've made some lamb chops and mash."

"I would like that, Jean. Hermione?"

"Yes, mum, that will be lovely. Do you need help?"

"No, you two stay here. I will call you when it's time to eat."

The door closed, and the swing began to creak as the couple continued to sit and watch the sky.

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, little witch. Always."

* * *

Please review; it makes my day. Thanks!


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you so much for all the reviews. **

**J.K. Rowling is the creator of the world she lets us play in. I tip my hat to her!**

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January 19, 2013: True To You

In the early days of their marriage, Severus spent a lot of time attempting to be what he thought Hermione expected him to be. He didn't give her the types of gifts usually considered romantic by others, but he went out of his way to do 'things' that would show that he was romantic.

This is why he found himself sitting on a blanket one night with a picnic basket filled with fresh fruit, wine and pumpkin juice, watching the stars with his wife relaxing beside him.

They chatted about nothing and everything together, including the impending birth of their first child. Most of the time, however, they were quiet.

"Severus?" asked Hermione quietly.

"Yes," he responded, almost absentmindedly.

"Why do you do this?"

"Do what?" Severus asked, a bit more alert. He knew that this sort of loaded question could lead to a happy wife or an angry wife.

"Things like this," Hermione said, straightening up. "Sitting out here when I know you don't like it. Taking me to dinner every week, taking me shopping. Leaving sweet notes on my pillow."

"Don't you like me doing those things?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"But, what?"

Hermione bit her lip, clearly unsure how to phrase what she wanted to say. "Severus, those things are not exactly _you_."

Severus cleared his throat. "Your father said he did those things for your mother after they were married."

Laughing quietly, Hermione said, "Well, yes, he did, but my mother said he was like that while they were dating, too. You were not. Why the sudden change?"

"I wanted to show you that I could be _romantic. _He looked like he swallowed alum when he said that. "When I asked your father for advice, this is what he told me he had done."

"Have I given you any reason to suspect I am not happy with your, or that I don't find you romantic?"

"No."

Hermione laughed aloud now. "Oh, Severus; you are a dunderhead." She reached up and kissed his cheek. "But, I fell in love with you just the way you are; snarky, irritable, smart, quietly witty, sarcastic. I don't want you to change to something you think you should be to please me. I just want you to be true to yourself and true to me."

"But—"

"There are no buts, Severus. I just want you to be what you have always been for me, and I want you to be that for our child; that's all I ask."

"You are sure? You don't want flowers and chocolates? Romantic dinners?"

"I like this," she waved her hand around. "And I like the occasional dinner, but honestly? I like best when we are sitting together reading or grading. Or in your lab researching."

Severus stood, pulling Hermione up and closer to him. He leant forward and kissed her, and then with a wave of his wand, tidied up the blanket and basket. "Let's go inside then and read, shall we?"

"I'd like that very much,"

With pinky and forefinger hooked, the couple walked to the castle and headed to their quarters.


	12. Chapter 12

January 20, 2013: To Have

Hermione meandered through the streets of Hogsmeade, not paying attention to where she was going. She knew she needed to go to the apothecary and the bookstore, but her head was with the fairies, a smile lighting her face, and she was in no hurry. Her engagement to Severus had just been announced publically, and she was delighted.

When a hand grabbed her arm, she was suddenly very aware of her surroundings; the arm grabber was suddenly very aware of a wand shoved into his neck.

"Blimey, Hermione, it's just me!" a red headed male said.

"Ronald! Do not grab me!" Both stood breathing heavily, looking at each other. "What do you want?" she asked.

"Would you have a drink with me? Please? I just want to talk." He looked at her with a winsome expression on his face.

Hermione looked at Ron with suspicion. "Ronald, just talking with you _never_ works. Please, just leave me alone." She turned to walk away.

Again, a hand grabbed her arm. "Hermione, please. Please?"

"Why? What would it accomplish?"

"I just want to know why you're going to marry the gi-I mean, Professor Snape. Why wouldn't you have me instead?"

"Really, Ron? You want me to actually answer that?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"You look just like him when you do that, did you know?"

"Severus is a very good teacher."

"Please Hermione; can't you give me another chance?"

"No Ron, I can't."

"Why not?"

"Why not?" she spluttered. "So I can wonder when I come home from work if I'll see your freckled, hairy arse bouncing against Lavender, Padam, Susan, or even Dean?"

"Hey, that was my experimental phase!"

"Regardless, I won't do that to myself. I gave you all my love and you used me. You never treated me decently."

"Well, perhaps if you _had_ put out..."

A resounding smack echoed between the buildings they were standing near.

"You bastard. That's all you ever wanted. Do you want to know why I don't want to have you? You don't respect me at all. You don't care about my work, my interests, my thoughts. If we weren't talking about Quidditch or about which pub to go to watch Quidditch, you tuned me completely out. You liked to read, but only if it was about Quidditch. You would read to me, yes, but only your stupid books about Quidditch.

You were desperate to get your rocks off, but you didn't give one damn about my desires, so when you didn't get what you wanted, you got it somewhere else. Even in school, all you wanted me from me was answers to our homework.

"Now let me tell you why I want to have Severus; he respects me even if he doesn't agree with me. He enjoys working with me. He enjoys what I enjoy; he likes to read with me and to me. He likes to take me to the occasional pub where we don't watch Quidditch. In fact, he HATES Quidditch every bit as much as I do. And, he respects my desire to remain a virgin until my wedding night. THAT is why I want to have Severus and not you, Ronald. Get it through your gob. I. Do. Not. Want. You. Not now, not ever."

"But, Hermione!"

"'But, Hermione', nothing. I said no Ronald, now leave me alone. I will not have you."

"You'll have the git over me?"

"Yes. I will have the git over you. How much more clear do I need to make it? Severus and I are getting married, we will continue to teach at Hogwarts, and _someday _we will have children."

"So..."

"Goodbye Ron. I need to finish my shopping and head back to the school. I've got work to do. I wish we could be friends, but this will always be between us, and unless you can get over it, I can't be friends with you."

Hermione turned, leaving Ron standing in the street. She entered the apothecary and slumped onto the sill of the display window, trying not to cry. The proprietor, who knew Hermione well, hurried over. "Are you all right, Miss Granger?"

She shook her head.

"Some tea, perhaps?"

"Yes, thank you."

"I saw your conversation with Mr. Weasley," said Mr. Lentil, nodding toward the window. "I take it things didn't go well?"

"No. Ronald wanted me to go back to him, but it's not feasible."

"Yes; I saw your announcement in the paper. Congratulations on your engagement. Mr. Snape is a lucky man."

Hermione blushed. "Thank you." She finished her tea and did her shopping.

As she stood at the counter, Mr. Lentil totalling up her purchases, he said, "Mr. Weasley will find someone else, Miss Granger, don't worry about him." He looked out of the window. "Ah, here comes your fiancé now."

Hermione smiled as she took the package from Mr. Lentil, squeezing his hand fondly. "Thank you, Mr. Lentil."

"You're welcome, dear. Hurry along now," he said, laughing.

Hermione hurried out of the shop and over to Severus. She went to peck his cheek, but pulled back when she remembered he was not fond of public displays of affection. She hooked her pinkie finger around his pointer finger, their little sign of devotion to each other, and together the couple headed toward the bookshop.

Hermione was happy with him. She was happy to have Severus in her life, and when it came time to vow to him that she would have him, she'd do so willingly and without reservation.

She smiled to herself as they stepped into the bookshop. Yes, she was very happy indeed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Here's some fluff to end your day with. **

**Again, I thank you all for your reviews and for the wonderful TycheSong who betas this story. If there are mistakes after she graces it with her knowledge, it's because I had senior moment and hacked at it. I never could leave well enough alone!**

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1-21-13: To Hold

Severus simply did not like it when Hermione was away from home. Even while they courted he had become so accustomed to her presence that when she was gone, it sent him off kilter.

Hermione had taken the children to her mother's for a brief visit while an elderly aunt was visiting, and he hated the silence that filled his quarters. He missed the sound of Hermione's voice as she spoke to the children, the high-pitched yell of the girls as they played or the deepening voice of his son when he stopped after classes for a brief chat with his father. All these missing elements pressed in on him, and he did not like it one bit.

He would miss Hermione especially when he went to bed. He would miss holding her and stroking her arm until he fell asleep.

Holding. How often had he held Hermione since the day he repeated that particular vow at his wedding ceremony?

There was the first night they were together. He held her very close and very tenderly as he took her virtue. It was amazing to know that he was the one she felt worthy enough to make her a woman in the every sense of the word.

There were the long, sad nights when he held her after she miscarried her first pregnancy. And the second. And the third.

There were the long, frightening nights when they lay together hoping above hope that _this_ pregnancy would last more than three months.

There were the nights where one or the other of them woke up, screaming from nightmares that continued to plague them. He would cling to her if he had the nightmare, or he would hold her and croon quietly if it was her.

There were three times in particular that holding her was very painful; but then when your wife was bringing your children into the world, it was only right you share in the pain. So he told himself.

There was holding her when she watched the children head off to primary school for the first time. She cried buckets and he never was good with crying women, so he just held her close and offered her a handkerchief.

There was holding her as they reclined on the couch together, reading or just watching the fire. It was the most relaxing time of day for him.

Holding Hermione was remarkable, but even more amazing was holding his children. They were, at first—especially when just minutes old—wriggly and sometimes leaking from an end blobs of flesh in the shape of a human, resembling nothing so much right away, but the inexplicable draw to hold closely what you created always overwhelmed him.

As months passed, there was holding them as they lay contentedly in his arms, drinking from a bottle as he tried to decide whether or not they had his nose.

There was holding them at night before bed, sniffing their heads, knowing that smell could never be captured by any potion he could concoct to recreate it.

There was holding them after they'd fallen and needed some love and a quick kiss to heal the scraped knee or elbow.

There was holding them and reading to them, their little voices asking questions. The word 'why' should be struck from the English language, in his opinion.

Watching his children sleeping while holding Hermione in his arms was his favourite way to hold her, wands down. To feel this vivacious, warm and loving women in his arms and to look at their children together, warmed his soul.

He enjoyed holding Hermione and his children and tomorrow, when they came home, he would eagerly hold them all again and know that he was holding his world.


	14. Chapter 14

**Corrections to this document brought to you today by George, my cat, who sat in my lap and pointed out the missing quotation mark, a comma, and decided that I needed to re-work a sentence because I repeated the word smile within two words of each other. **

**I bet JKR didn't have to put up with fur up her nose while she wrote the Harry Potter books.**

**Each of these one-shots/drabbles can be taken on their own and are not necessarily a chronology of the Snapes. My muse led me in the direction I needed to go in order to complete my set writing task.**

**Having said that, my muse wanted to show that Ron Weasley isn't always a complete git and sometimes sees things with a different prospective than others.**

* * *

January 22, 2013: For Richer

Harry Potter was a thinker. Perhaps not the brightest of thinkers, but a thinker nonetheless. Today as he sat in Florean Fortesque's Ice Cream Parlour, looking out through the window as his super sized chocolate, vanilla, and banana Snitch Sundae melted in its cup, he was thinking quite hard.

For you see, just outside the window, across the street from the ice cream shop was a charity shop. Just outside that shop was a bench. On that bench sat a man. That man just happened to be his former Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher. That man also just happened to be married to the only woman Harry considered to be his very best friend.

He watched Severus Snape as he sat in the sunshine, his arms crossed over his chest, and a perpetual sneer set upon his face. Harry and Severus had never gotten along, a fact that Harry regretted. Severus was one of the very few people left alive that knew his mother, aside from Petunia, (she would never answer any questions) and he would answer very few, if any, of Harry's questions. However, both men shared a deep love for a certain curly haired witch, and for this reason alone, the two set aside some animosity and were barely tolerant of each other.

Harry took a bite of his ice cream when a shadow fell over his table. He looked up to see his other long-time best friend. "Ron! What brings you to Diagon Alley?"

Ron sat down and pulled a menu in front of him. "Lav is shopping. Thought I'd stop in for an ice. What were you studying so hard?"

Harry nodded his head in the direction of the shop across the street. "Snape."

"Ah. Hey, there's Hermione."

Hermione came out of the shop carrying some bags. As she approached her husband, he stood and immediately relieved her packages and helped her sit.

"She's due in a few months, isn't she?" Ron asked.

"Yeah." Harry took a bite of the mostly melted sundae, swallowed and asked, "Ron, why do you think she's shopping in a charity shop? Do you think Snape's skint?"

"Reckon teachers don't make a lot of money," Ron said and then gave his order for a butterscotch cone to the waitress.

"But what about their war money?" asked Harry.

"Mate, you know Hermione gave hers away. Snape never got any; just the Order of Merlin and the pardon."

"Hmmm," replied Harry.

Both boys watched the couple. Hermione was showing Snape some of the outfits he bought. Ron and Harry laughed as Snape's face showed obvious disgust at a pink, frilly dress and then changed to a smirk when she pulled out a small black robe.

"Are they having a girl or a boy?" asked Ron.

Harry shook his head. "Dunno. Hermione told me they didn't want to know. She wasn't going to buy too much until the baby was born, but knowing Hermione, she probably couldn't resist," he laughed.

As Harry watched, Hermione looked radiant. Her skin glowed with pregnancy but more than that, she glowed with love for her husband. As much as Harry didn't want to admit it, he knew she loved her husband.

"She really does love him, doesn't she?" asked Harry.

"Obviously; she didn't grow that belly on her own, you know," Ron answered, wiping a drip of ice cream off his chin with his sleeve.

"Ron, do you think they'll have enough money to raise a baby? Do you think I should give her something? I do have the accounts from Sirius and my parents."

Ron looked at Harry thoughtfully. Although Harry had very little money until Sirius died, he had plenty of money after that, a situation that always bothered Ron. However, he did know a little bit about growing up in a poor home. There was more to being rich than money.

"Harry, I don't think that would be a good idea. Look, you know I didn't have a lot of money with six brothers and sisters. Dad never got raises or even a promotion until after the war. But believe it or not, when I look at Hermione and Snape, I see something in them that my parents had. Love, and a lot of it. You can't measure that with money. Sure the git sneers a lot, but look closely Harry." He waved his hand at the window.

Harry looked. "What am I supposed to see?"

"Do you remember at Christmas time when my parents would sit next to each other? There was never anything obvious about what it was that radiated the love they shared, but it was there. They way they looked at each other, the smiles, the little nudges they'd give each other, the looks." Ron smiled a moment at the memory of his parents together.

"Look at Snape." Ron nodded his head toward the window. "Even though he may not be showing it, he does love her. Look how close they sit. And see that? His arm is around her back."

"Any guy would do that," Harry sneered.

"Yes, but watch his hand...his thumb is rubbing a circle around her arm."

Harry shrugged. "So?"

"Trust me, Harry; I would be the very last person to admit this about the git. They may not have a lot of money, but the two of them are rich in so many ways...their intellect, their love of books, their love of teaching, and their love for each other. Once that baby comes, they will only get richer. It's what my parents have; it's what Hermione and Snape have."

Harry had to admit Ron was right. The pair on the bench across the way did have something about them that radiated a great comfort in each other; a surety about each other and what their love for each other meant. Now that Ron pointed it out, he could see many small signs of affection from Snape toward Hermione.

They'd do all right, he supposed. As long as they loved each other, they'd be richer than he was with all his Gringott's vaults.


	15. Chapter 15

January 23, 2013: For Poorer

It was summertime in England, and a gentle breeze blew through the open windows of Hermione's flat. Severus and Hermione were enjoying their usual Friday night date with Hermione in the kitchen fixing dinner—which could always been an adventure for the couple—and Severus reading a book in her sitting room. He could hear her grumbling about what she was doing and chuckled to himself. He wandlessly set a Tempus charm to remind them when the chicken was ready to come out of the cooker. _"Poor Hermione,"_ he thought. _"Can't even boil water, as the saying goes."_

"Hermione?" he called.

"Yes, Severus?" Hermione entered the sitting room, wiping her hands on a towel, looking at him. "What is it, love?" she asked, cautiously.

"We need to talk."

Severus could see by the way she bit her lip she was unsure of what to make of his request. He patted the sofa, and she sat beside him. Putting his arm around her, he enjoyed her closeness for a moment while he considered what to say.

Clearing his throat, he began, "You know that I have been attempting to find employment elsewhere. I do not particularly want to continue to teach and to that end, have applied at various apothecaries throughout Britain."

"Anyone would be a fool not to hire you," she sniffed.

"They are all fools then," he muttered.

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him, worried.

"I have either not received replies or have received replies in the negative."

"You're an excellent Potions master though, why?" said Hermione, perplexed.

"The usual polite response has been 'you're a premier

Potions master' etc., etc., 'war hero' etc., etc., 'however your past experience in the war is not setting well with others, and this may negatively affect business' and so on."

"Oh, Severus; I am so sorry. What will you do?" Hermione said consolingly. She placed her hand over his and squeezed.

"Minerva has left the Potions position open in the hopes I would continue to teach."

"And?"

"I do not want to teach."

"Oh," she said quietly.

Misreading Hermione's look of disappointment, he asked, "Does that change your decision to marry me? That I may not be able to provide for you?"

"What? Merlin, Severus; why would you think that?"

"If I do not continue the job at Hogwarts, I will not be able to provide for you."

"But I make enough money at the Ministry; I could provide for both of us. You could set yourself up as a private potioneer if you wanted."

"Hermione, I am supposed to provide for you, not the other way around."

"Don't be so old fashioned," she scoffed.

"I am not being old fashioned. It's just the way it's supposed to be."

Hermione stood to go check the chicken. She wondered if she should let Severus know of the discussion she and Minerva had had that afternoon over lunch. Perhaps it was time to channel her inner Slytherin.

Returning to the sitting room and her place beside him, she asked, "Severus, what would it take to make the offer of teaching more attractive to you?"

"Aside from never having to teach Gryffindors?"

"Severus!" she exclaimed indignantly.

"I think the biggest reason I do not want to teach is because I would be away from you for weeks at a time. Between weekend patrols and detention—"

"If you wouldn't assign so many for things like breat- _mumph_."

He put his hand over her mouth. "Stop," he said, smiling. He when felt her tongue tickle his palm, he removed his hand and kissed her. "As I was saying...with the out-of-hours responsibilities I'd have, I wouldn't get to see you very much. What kind of marriage is it if we are separated for weeks at a time?"

"What if Minerva curtailed your patrols, allowing you to come home a few nights a week for dinner at least?"

"Still not enough," he sighed. "I'd have to back before curfew because of Head of House duties."

"What if Minerva offered me the DADA job, and I took it?"

"No, I couldn't possibly teach both positions—what?" Severus turned to look at her more fully.

Hermione laughed at Severus' confusion. "I had lunch with Minerva today. I admit I shamelessly asked her if there was an opening at Hogwarts."

"Why would you do such a thing? Your job at Ministry will help pay our bills; the rent on your flat, groceries, books."

"But Severus, don't you see? If I taught at Hogwarts, we could get rid of the flat; Spinner's End will do for the summer. We wouldn't have to pay for our food, and the salaries we'd make would cover our other costs. It's perfect!"

"Hermione, the salary at Hogwarts is not extravagant, we would not be better off than we are now."

"We would not be poor, Severus. We'd live within our means. Neither one of us is extravagant, except maybe when it comes to books."

"I don't know," he said, although the idea was intriguing.

"Do you truly hate to teach?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Not truly. If I could own my own shop I might be happier, but I admit, not wanting to be separated from you is the main reason I do not want to teach."

"If I taught there as well, would you teach?" Severus went to protest, but she pressed on. "No, hear me out. What if we both taught, saved what we could and then in several years, opened your apothecary?"

"That idea has merit. However, if you truly wish to teach at Hogwarts with me, I will stay."

Hermione bounced up on her knees and leaned over to kiss Severus on the cheek. "I'll owl Minerva right away and then send my letter of resignation to the Ministry."

Severus sat on the couch as Hermione went to find parchment and owl and scrubbed his face. He didn't hate teaching, but he didn't want to do it his whole life. He hated not having a great deal of money. Marrying Hermione would mean he'd have to do some work on Spinner's End to accommodate her and then, if they had children...he shuddered not even wanting to think that far ahead.

His attention was diverted when his witch came back into the room. _"Merlin she is lovely,"_ he thought.

At that moment, all his doubts left him. Yes, they'd be pinching galleons for a while, but with her in his life, it would be worth it.

* * *

Mr. Worry and I had quite a rude awakening upon our return to the U.S. from Germany. We were, while in Germany, two young marrieds with no kids. The exchange rate was great, we lived in Central Europe which made travel easy. We bought what we wanted, ate out most of the time, spent, rather than saved, our money. Then we were stationed in California, we were down to one income and I was gigantic with child.

It was very hard, and if it hadn't been for the kindness of people we had only just met, we would have had a very hard time providing for our son. I learned to be creative with food, clothing needs, and I discovered I did just fine without all the fripperies they say you need for a baby.

We have been lucky in our lives and careers to be comfortable once more, and we make dang sure to 'pay it forward' whenever we can, remembering the days when we needed the kindness of others.


	16. Chapter 16

**This one-shot is not about either of my characters dying, but rather a response to another pair of people who loved each other and are parted by death. Sometimes, in the face of death of a parent, your partner can't make everything magically better or bring them back, but they can offer just what they have; love and support.**

* * *

January 24, 2013: Till Death Do Us Part

The quiet of Spinner's End was shattered early one morning as an owl pecked furiously on the kitchen window. Severus Snape bounded down the stairs ready to hex the poor bird for disturbing his summer holidays.

With a flick of his hand, the window opened, and the express owl hopped inside, presenting his leg. Ripping the letter from the bird, Severus shoved a treat into his beak and threw the bird back outside.

The morning light from the window was not enough to read the address on the envelope, so Severus wandlessly conjured a lighted candle and peered at the address. The handwriting was his mother-in-law's. To arrive this early in the morning, it could only hold bad news.

Severus hurried back to his bedroom and woke his wife. "Hermione, this came for you."

"What is it?" She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"It's from your mother; it came express. You'd better open it."

Hermione grabbed the letter and ripped it open. She scanned the contents, becoming more frantic as she read. "Oh, no! No! Oh, Severus! We need to go!" She flew out of bed and began wrenching open her wardrobe doors. "My father, oh, Severus!"

Severus picked up the letter she had tossed down and read,

_Dear Hermione,_

_Please come. Your father has had a stroke and is in St. Monica's. Please, sweetheart, he is not expected to recover, and I need you here. Come as soon as you can._

_Mum_

Severus pulled at the collar of his Muggle suit as he waited for the funeral services to begin. It irritated the scars on his neck, and felt constricting. True, he wore high collared shirts with his wizards robes, but they were tailored specifically for him and accommodated the scar thickness. This suit and shirt, bought quickly at Sainsbury's, was not.

Steven sat to his left, not talking much and dressed in a suit as well. Thankfully, Molly had offered to keep the girls; they were still too little to understand what was going on and would be fractious on a hot day like today.

To his right sat his wife, quiet and inconsolable. She no longer cried. She had done so much of that in the last few days. Severus doubted he helped her. All he could do was hold her hand and let her rest her head on his shoulder. He had held her and crooned soothing words that he hoped would help.

The past few days had been a flurry of activity, most of it confusing, most of it long hours of waiting, some of it a furious discussion of whether or not to help her father magically. Before they could come to a decision, her father had passed away, and the discussion became moot.

The priest entered the chapel and the service began. Severus had never attended a Muggle funeral; his own parents had been taken care of while he was at Hogwarts. He tried not to hold a contemptuous sneer for the words that held no solace for him. He was brought up in a home without religion. However, he knew that for Hermione, they were a balm to her soul regardless of the fact that even as a witch, she did not believe in the Christianity she was raised in. Death often made one return to the comfortable roots of your youth as you struggled to come to grips with all you knew being turned inside out.

The next hurdle of the day was after the committal at the cemetery, when the family returned to Hermione's childhood home for a luncheon. Severus was able to stay outside and be away from the cloying manners of well-wishers that sickened him.

He and Steven quietly sat and chatted about the memories of David Granger they shared. Steven was very close to his only grandparents, but like Severus, could not deal with the crowd.

When the mourners left, the pair entered the house to find it more silent than they ever remembered. Hermione and Jean sat closely together on the couch, chatting quietly.

"I am sure Severus wouldn't mind if you came to stay with us for a bit."

"Oh, love; you and I both know your husband. While he is unfailingly polite, and we get along very well, he is very private and would not care to be 'en pointe' for a long visit from me."

Severus caught the tail end of the conversation. "On the contrary, Jean, I would welcome a visit from you at our home."

Jean stood and took Severus' hands in hers. "Severus, that is very kind, and perhaps I will take you up on the offer, but for now, I think I would like to just have a bit of time to myself. To get used to the quiet...to have some peace after the last week. I feel as though my ears will never stop ringing from all the noise and bustle." She let his hands go, reaching to pull her grandson in for a kiss. "No, if you could just stay with me tonight and then leave tomorrow, that would be welcome. I could come to you in a few weeks perhaps?"

"That will be fine, Jean," Severus said.

They Apparated back to Spinner's End, having retrieved the girls, the day shortly after one o'clock. The children went outside to play while Hermione went to her bedroom, stating she wanted to lie down for a bit.

Severus worked quietly in the house unpacking their cases, looking over the post, and deciding what to make for supper. He let Hermione sleep through supper, calling the children in to eat the sandwiches and soup he prepared. He told the children to leave their mother alone this evening.

"Papa," said Sarah, "why is Mummy so sad?"

"She misses her father," Severus replied, wiping some soup from Marni's chin.

"Will she be sad for a long time? I would be if you were gone." Sarah got up from the table and pushed her way onto Severus' lap.

This normally was not allowed during meals, but Severus felt that just for tonight, he would bend the rules and let the child the extra comfort she needed.

"Mummy sad?" Marni echoed her sister's words.

"Mummy will be sad for quite a while. But as time passes, she will be happy again, I promise. In a few weeks, Grandma is going to come to stay for a while. She will be sad too, so you will need to be on your best behaviour." He looked at Sarah and Steven pointedly; Marni was just too little to understand at all.

"Yes, sir," they both replied.

Severus rounded up the children earlier than usual for baths and bed. The week was exhausting for them all regardless of the protests from the kids. When they were in bed and the house tidied up, Severus went to bed quietly and pulled Hermione toward him. She woke up and sleepily kissed him.

"You all right?" she asked.

"Yes. And you?"

"I will be in time. Are the children in bed?"

"Yes. They had questions, but I think I did all right. Are you hungry? I could get you something."

Hermione snuggled closer, and he tightened his arm around her. "Oh, Severus," she sighed. "I feel like the world will never be right again. You have been amazing through this all. I never realized all the things I do that you seamlessly took care of for me."

"I really didn't do anything."

"You did. You didn't fuss, you didn't make me feel as though I was a dunderhead for crying. Everything you've done over the past week has been perfect. I love you so much. Thank you for being with me through this."

"You're welcome, Hermione. I'll always be there for you, you know that."

"I know."

"Go to sleep; it's been a long day, and I think we both exhausted. Steven said he'd watch the girls in the morning so we could lie in."

"Oh, that's lovely."

Severus pressed a kiss to Hermione's head, and they both relaxed and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

**My husband was amazing when my parents died. My mother suffered from cancer, and he was very giving and flexible for me. He had no problems in staying home with our son so that I could drive ten hours to my hometown to spend time with my parents during the last three years my mother was alive.**

**My father's death from a stroke was completely unexpected, and I dropped everything to again drive ten hours to his bedside to hold vigil with my siblings. When it was obvious that he would not recover, my husband made all the arrangements for our son to be away from school and then drove to my hometown. Mr. Worry and Worry Jr. were by my side, holding my hands as my father was greeted by my mother in heaven.**

**He quietly stayed by my side as my six brothers and sisters and I moved through the arrangements and funerals of both my parents. Since he had no experience other than the death of a grandparent when he was very young, he could do nothing but exactly what he did...held my hand, let me cry, and was just there in the background, doing small things I hadn't thought of that made all of it bearable.**

**I hope I can be as much support to him when his own parents die.**


	17. Chapter 17

**JK Rowling owns the characters we get to play with. Isn't she grand to let us?**

* * *

January 25, 2013: Tea For Two

Sarah and Steven flew into their parents' quarters long enough to snatch pastries from the table, kiss them both, and then headed out the door.

"Why the hurry?" asked Severus. "Slytherin isn't playing."

"No, but if Hufflepuff loses, we move ahead in the standings!" hollered Steven as the door slammed shut, leaving a flummoxed Severus, Hermione and Marni sitting at the table.

"Well," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "That's their plans for the day. I have to oversee detention, so you'll need to stay with Marni."

The little girl, whose long black pigtails hung down her back—and were the reason her father dubbed her 'Pigtail'—smiled and squealed, "Daddy has to play with me today?"

"Yes, Marni," Hermione laughed. "But go easy on him. You know he doesn't like to play dress up or anything like that."

"Of course, Mummy, I won't make him play dwess up."

"Perhaps she could help me gather ingredients in the Forest. What do you think, Pigtail? Shall we go play in the dirt?" Severus suggested as he plucked his daughter from her chair and threw her into the air.

Marni liked to be outdoors and readily agreed, "Oh, yes, Daddy!"

"Very well then; go get dressed, and we will leave shortly."

Marni scampered away to change her clothes, and Severus and Hermione quietly finished up breakfast.

* * *

Two hours later, Severus carried a sleeping Marni in his arms, levitating a basket of plants in front of him as he made his way back to the castle. "_Give her her due,"_ he thought, _"she did well and only tuckered out near the end." _

Once inside their quarters, he lay her down on the sofa, covered her up and went to take care of the plants. At one p.m., he woke her up for lunch, and after they had eaten, he asked if she would like to read.

"No, Daddy, I want to play tea."

"You would like some tea?" he asked, misunderstanding the little girl.

"No silly, come on!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him awkwardly along to her room.

Severus shuddered every time he went into his youngest child's room. It was..._pink_. He could not understand how this daughter was so 'girly' whereas Sarah, while definitely a girl, tended to like the more sombre, understated Slytherin style of decoration. Even when she was as young as Marni, she preferred quiet greens and silvers, and very little in the way of ornamentation. Sarah never wanted dolls, to dress up, or frills.

Marni, however, was frill personified. Her bed was a Muggle princess style pink canopied concoction with ruffles and roses. There might have been a mattress and bed linens, but Severus could find them for all the dolls and plush toys piled on the bed.

Scattered around the room were books, a doll's house from her grandparents, paint pots, colouring books, and a small table and chairs where a tiny Royal Doultan tea set with hand painted periwinkles was ready for use.

"Daddy, you sit here," Marni pulled him to an impossibly tiny chair.

"Can't I sit on the bed?" he asked.

"No! You must sit at the table."

Severus carefully folded himself onto the little wooden, narrow seat. His bottom hung off both sides, and he couldn't figure out what to do with his knees. If he placed his feet on the floor, his knees were around his ears. He wound up placing his knees on the floor as though he were kneeling.

Once he was settled, Marni skipped over, placing a white, wide brimmed hat into his hands while smashing a pink one on her own head.

"Put that on, Daddy!" she cried happily, with a smile very like her mother's.

Severus recalled with grim resignation the only other time he 'wore'. He momentarily considered telling Marni no, but when he saw the expectant look in her eyes, he knew he couldn't disappoint her and reluctantly put it on his head. Once it was on his head, Marni dashed away.

"Where are you, Pigtail?" he asked, turning to see her feet sticking out from under her bed. "Marni, what on earth are you doing?"

Her muffled voice replied, "Getting biscuits! _A-choo_!"

"Bless you," said Severus, laughing as Marni backed out from under her bed and placed an opened box of biscuits on the table.

"Okay, Daddy, I'll pour the tea," she announced. She lifted the pot and poured water from the spout into the cup nearest her father, and then into one for her. Once tea was poured, she pulled out a biscuit each and sat down.

Severus stared at the crumbly piece of shortbread on the table next to his teacup. There was some lint from having been on the floor twisted around the biscuit. Severus hoped to be able to avoid eating it.

"Well then," he said lifting his cup. "Enjoy!"

He put the cup to his lips but before he could drink, Marni screamed, startling him, and he dropped the whole cup into his lap.

"DADDY!"

"What?" asked Severus as he quickly cast a drying charm on his lap.

"YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO DRINK UNTIL I GAVE YOU SOME SUGAR!"

"I don't use sugar."

"Mummy does."

"That's what makes mummy sweet," he teased.

"It does not!"

"Are you sure you don't want me to read to you?" asked Severus; his knees were starting to hurt.

"NO! I WANT TO PLAY TEA!" She stamped her foot and put her hands on her hips.

"All right, all right. No need to scream," he said placating the girl. "Pour me some more tea." He held his cup out.

Marni poured him more tea and settled herself down into her chair. As they drank their tea, Marni babbled away about her stuffed animals, and the adventures they apparently had while Severus nodded and 'hmmed' appropriately.

"Daddy, you're not eating your biscuit."

"I am still full from lunch."

"But you didn't have pudding with lunch."

"My sandwich filled me up."

He was starting to realize that his daughter was going to force him to eat the furry biscuit lying on the table.

"Don't you like your biscuit?" Marni said tremulously.

Brown eyes, so reminiscent of his wife's, stared up at him. He noted they glistened, and her lower lip was trembling. _"Oh, dear," _he thought. He sighed deeply and pulled out his wand, hoping to clean it first.

"What are you doing? Are you going to vanquish it?"

"'Banish', Pigtail, and no, I won't banish it. It's...a bit fuzzy, and I was going to tidy it a bit first."

"I do it for you!" She snatched the shortbread up and began to pull the lint off. However, in the process, it crumbled into her lap, and she burst into tears. "I ruined your biscuit!"

Severus drew the girl into his lap and shushed her. "Now, now Marni, don't worry. Why don't we go into the kitchen and bake some fresh biscuits for Mummy, Steven, and Sarah? I'll let you stir."

Marni wiped her snotty nose with her hand. "Really? Can we make lemon cookies?"

"Of course."

"Yeah!" she said, wiggling out of her father's grasp and scampering from the room.

Severus slowly unfolded himself from the chair and took off the horrid hat. He was quite thankful Hermione was not there to see it.

* * *

Later that night, as the couple were in bed, talking over the day, Hermione asked about Marni's tea party.

"She told me all about it when I was tucking her in," said Hermione with mirth in her voice.

"Yes, well."

"She said you looked fetching in your hat."

Severus said nothing, but could feel the bed shaking from Hermione's repressed laughter. More quickly than Hermione could react, Severus was on top of her. The suddenness of the movement whooshed all the breath out of her.

"Severus!"

"Yes, love?"

"I can't breathe!"

He began kissing her neck. "Well, catch your breath, woman; I am about to make you pay for laughing at me."

With a delighted giggle, Hermione attempted to catch her breath, and Severus attempted to make her pay.

* * *

Having had a boy, there was no pink in my house. There were Big Wheels, bugs, American footballs, tool kits, and other 'boyish' things. So until the moraitorim on grandchildren is lifted (Worry Jr. is under strict orders to not make me a grandmother in my forties), I will wait for a granddaughter and I can have a tea party. There still won't be pink as I frankly do not like the colour pink.


	18. Chapter 18

January 26, 2013: From This Day Forward

A small crowd made up of only their closest friends and family had gathered in the Granger's back garden to witness the wedding of Severus and Hermione. They witnessed the couple exchange of mix of traditional Muggle vows as well as a traditional Wizarding bonding ritual.

In order to keep the Wizarding media out of their special day, Hermione and Severus had decided to hold their ceremony and reception at her parents' home. Filius Flitwick had offered to arrive early on the morning of the wedding in order to set wards around the property. This way, only the invited guests would be able to Apparate or walk in as necessary.

The vows had been exchanged, the magical bond had been set, the food had been eaten, and the cake had been cut. Now it was time for their first dance as husband and wife. Rather than choose a Muggle song or—Merlin forbid—a Wizard song, they choose their favourite violin concerto. The couple danced and whirled about the wooden floor that had been magicked into place among the fragrant flowers of the garden.

Hermione let out a deep sigh of pleasure as her head rested against her husband's shoulder.

"What's that for, love?" Severus' deep baritone rumbled through his chest into hers.

"Just a sigh of happiness. This day was more than I could have hoped for," she replied.

"Indeed it was," Severus laughed. "I certainly never dreamed of anything like this."

"Was this better than any dream you did have?" she asked, shifting her head to look into his eyes.

"Oh, yes, so much more." He captured her lips and didn't stop kissing her until the cat calls from the guests annoyed him.

Hermione laughed merrily at his grunt of displeasure. "Severus, you know you enjoyed that."

"I enjoyed kissing you; I did not enjoy their plebeian adolescent reaction."

"They're happy for us," Hermione laughed, pulling her husband into an impossibly complicated dance move before laying her head back onto his chest and continuing at a more sedate pace until the concerto was finished.

The music changed and soon the floor filled with their friends and family dancing, laughing and chatting. Severus handed his wife over to her father and took her mother as a dance partner. From there, they exchanged partners many times for the next hour, laughing and chatting with everyone.

Eventually, the newlyweds were dance partners once again.

"Back in my arms where you belong, my dear."

"From this day forward, Severus, I'll always be in your arms."

Severus looked at Hermione for a long time before speaking. "I still have trouble reconciling the bushy, bucktoothed, insufferable know-it-all eleven year old girl you were with the dynamic, beautiful, intelligent young woman you are now. I simply cannot imagine the happiness you have brought me."

"I certainly never thought I'd be married to the snarky, evil greasy git dungeon bat either! Or, that I would be so content happy as well."

Severus squeezed her closer. "What is it they say about opposites attracting?"

Hermione giggled and then they were quiet for a while as the music floated over them.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"Look at your parents and Arthur and Molly," Severus said, gesturing their interlocked hands in the direction of the dancing couples.

Hermione looked over at her parents. It was obvious from the way they looked at each other and danced so closely, that they were still in love after many years of marriage. Arthur and Molly were whispering into each other's ears and smiling slyly. It was obvious those two were still a frisky, happy couple.

"They are happy, aren't they, Severus? They've had ups and downs, joys and sadness, but they are still together and happy," Hermione observed.

"I think we'll have that. As long as we strive to make our marriage happy and not yearn for what they have, we'll be all right. Each marriage is different, each couple is different. Yearning for what's on the other side of the fence will do neither one of us favours. We must cultivate this side of the fence, and I don't know about you, I am more than willing to cultivate it."

"As am I love. You are the only one for me, and I don't want what they have. They are models for what happiness can be, of course, but what works for them will not work for us. I, too look forward to creating our own happiness."

Hermione reached up to kiss her husband's cheek. "I am getting tired. Do you think it's okay for us to leave?"

"I think so."

The couple made their way to Hermione's parents to say good night before they walked to the copse of trees at the back of the garden. This was the usual place the couple Apparated to and from when they visited Hermione's parents. From here, they would Apparate to France for their honeymoon.

Right before Severus spun them away, Hermione spoke, "From this day forward, Severus?"

"From this day forward, Hermione. You have my love from this day forward. Always."

A crack resounded as the pair whirled away.


	19. Chapter 19

Thank you so much for all the reviews. They mean a great deal to me.

I also thank my beta, TycheSong for all the hard work. She is an incredibly busy woman, taking care of not only me, but several other writers, as well as creating magnificent works of her own (her current WIP's are Severus, Redux and The Lucky Ones-check them out!), and she also moderates The Maple Bookshelf. As a result, she has been unable to help me out with the last few chapters, but will do so, and I will upload edited chapters as necessary.

* * *

January 27, 2013: To Cherish

Severus looked up as the door to Spinner's End closed. He rose eagerly to greet Hermione only to be pushed aside by three children eager to see their mother after her week away from home.

"Hello everyone, hello!" Hermione exclaimed. "Oh, it's good to be home!" She bent to kiss Steven and Sarah and then gathered Marni into her arms, pressing a kiss to her chubby cheek. Looking up, she was able to say hello to her husband who leant over Steven and Sarah for a quick kiss.

The children babbled with excitement, each eager to tell their mother what they did while she was away, who they played with, and to tattle a bit both on each other and on their father.

"That is enough, all of you!" Severus said loudly. "Let Mum catch her breath. Steven, take her bag to our bedroom. Here love, give me Marni," he said, reaching for their youngest child. "Sarah, take Mum's coat, and put it in the cupboard."

He led Hermione into the sitting room and together they sat on the couch, Severus settling Marni in his lap and Hermione leaning against him. Steven and Sarah hurried into the room and plopped down on the couch, each wrestling for the spot next to their mother.

"Steven," Severus said, "you sit next to me and stop grousing."

"Oh, it's good to hear you all chattering, even arguing. It's wonderful to be home. Now, Steven, tell me what you have to say." Hermione said happily.

"Why does Steven always get to go first?" Sarah argued.

"Birth order," said Hermione. "You'll have your say next."

Several busy hours passed as the family slipped back into their regular routine now that Hermione was home. Dinner was eaten, baths were given, stories were read, and the children were tucked into bed

Severus and Hermione finally settled on the sofa together, a tray of tea and biscuits and a low fire burning in the grate.

"How is your mother, love?" Severus asked.

"Surprisingly well most of the time. Nights seemed to be rough for her. I heard her crying a few times."

"She's a strong woman; she'll be fine after some time has passed."

"I know. Thank you for taking care of the children this week." Hermione said, snuggling closer to her husband.

"It was no trouble. Is everything with your father's estate settled?"

"Yes. The will was read; everything goes to my mother with the exception of some shares of the practice which came to me and a few smaller bequests to his family. The will stated I could sell the shares if I wanted. Mum is not ready to retire, so she'll stay on at the practice for a few more years. It will be good for her." Sipping her tea, Hermione sighed.

"What's the matter, witchling?"

"It was so hard going through his things. I can't imagine doing it alone when my mother dies."

"I'll be there with you, you know that."

Hermione reached up and pecked Severus on the cheek. "I know you will. It's just that while going through his things, I kept thinking about how fleeting life is. How quickly it can all be taken away."

"We all learned that in the war."

I know, but with ones parents, it's different. You never think they will die. When they do, it's rather a shock to learn that 'never' was a fairy tale."

"Perhaps," Severus said. "It was not that way with my parents."

"Oh, Severus, I am so sorry," Hermione said aghast. "Here I am blathering away, and I forgot you did not have the same relationship with your parents that I did with mine."

Severus pulled her closer to him. "It's all right, love. You're right; my relationship with my parents was not perfect. It was horrible in fact, but that did not mean I didn't feel anything when they died. I did not mourn for long, but I did, in a way, miss them."

"What happened after they died?"

"Not much. It happened while I was at school and everything was taken care of on my behalf by Dumbledore. Since I was the sole surviving member of both the Snape and Prince lines, everything came to me. Dumbledore had the house elves clean the house and seal it for me until I could go there during the holidays. Once there, I tossed everything I didn't want. That was all."

"It seems so sad."

"It was." Severus shook himself a bit to rid his mind of bleaker thoughts of his parents. "Regardless, what else happened this week?"

"Not a great deal. Mum and I laughed and cried a lot. Dad's brother visited to pick up the bequest he was given. All in all, a very weepy week. But you know...it made me realize how much I cherish my life."

"How so?"

"I was loved as a child and cared for. I knew laughter and sadness but also, forgiveness. My father was the first man I ever loved, and I will always cherish every moment I had with him. This week also made me realize how much I cherish you and all that you have given me...a warm home, happiness, love, children."

"I feel the same, love. I did not have the childhood you did, but you given me a life as an adult I can never cease to believe. I also cherish it and you."

They kissed deeply and decided that perhaps they should go to bed.

Before they fell asleep, tangled together after love making, Hermione spoke quietly. "I also learned something else while at my mother's."

"What's that?" Severus asked, slightly sleepy

"We'll soon have something else to cherish in our lives."

"What do you mean?"

Hermione took Severus' hand and place it low on her abdomen, smiling. "Steven will have the brother he's wanted sometime next February."

Severus sat up to look more closely at his wife. "You don't mean...?"

"Yes!" she laughed. "Do you remember the night of the Victory Ball in May? My parents were watching the children for us overnight so that we could enjoy ourselves. We had had a bit too much to drink, and I don't think you pronounced the spell quite right as a result."

"Oh," Severus said.

"Are you happy?" Hermione asked, biting her lower lip.

Severus smiled slowly, rubbing her belly. "Are you sure it's a boy?"

"Yes, I did the spell twice."

"Let's go tell Steven!"

"Severus, it's after midnight! He's asleep!"

"Perhaps you're right; it can wait till morning. In the meantime, I believe we should celebrate the news." Severus hand travelled up Hermione's belly to cup her breast.

"This is how we got another baby in the first place."

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Be quiet!"

* * *

Cleaning out your parents home after they die is not fun. It is a walk down memory lane to be sure, but it comes at a price. A bit of advice...if you really admire something your parents have (a piece of furniture for example), ask them for it before they die and then let the siblings know about it. Saves a lot of tears later, trust me.


	20. Chapter 20

Okay, I took a slightly naughty turn here. I've had a few drunken chats in my time with my girlfriends. We found out just how much better at some things our husbands were than others. Of course our favourite witches would do the same, don't you think?

*****There are sexual references in this chapter so if that's not your thing, please wait until tomorrow to read my next instalment.*****

* * *

January 28, 2013: For Better

Gloria Glimmer's Spa For Discriminating Witches had a reservation for a party of five witches who wanted the full works; hair, manicures, pedicures, massages, sauna and make-up. The annual Ministry Victory Ball was tonight, and this particular reservation had been made several weeks ago.

"Do you have the champagne, Liza?" hollered Gloria, the owner, who took it upon herself to ensure this particular group of witches was well provided for.

"Yes, Ma'am. I've got two bottles in the buckets, four more in the back. I've also got an assortment of wine, fruit, and cheese ready," replied Liza.

"Very good. I must see to the towels and dressing gowns. Narcissa Malfoy is treating the women, and it would not do to skimp!"

Two hours later, the five women—all friends through the most unique of circumstances—were now flopped about the sauna. The effects of the alcohol and soothing massage contributed to the lassitude of the woman and to the loosening of their tongues.

"Hermione," asked Narcissa, "How are you finding married life?"

"It's wonderful. Severus is so kind," Hermione said with a smile on her face.

"Any annoying habits yet?" asked Ginny.

"Not really," she said, turning from her belly to sit up. "I wish he'd pick up his socks though. He leaves them wherever he takes them off, rolled up in little balls."

"Lucius used to drop his cigar ashes everywhere," offered Narcissa. "Drove me crazy. Killed quite a few of the plants," she laughed.

Minerva spoke up, "My Reginald used to drink from cartons of Muggle milk; he preferred it to conjured milk, don't you know. I placed a hex on the cartons so if he tried to sneak a drink, he was stung. Only I could remove the hex. It cured him quite quickly."

The younger girls giggled at the image of Minerva standing by her husband, as though he were a toddler, letting him have some milk.

"Harry will leave his Quidditch equipment in the hallway. I've asked him time and again to put it away," complained Ginny.

"Draco won't feed the Nargles that follow him," Luna said airily. "I've begged him too, but he won't do it."

Narcissa rolled her eyes at her daughter-in-law's revelation. "I am sure if you continue to ask him, he will eventually. They _all_ eventually do what we want." She looked at Minerva knowingly.

All the women laughed at that. Then Ginny asked, "How are you _liking _married life, Hermione?"

"Mmm," Hermione moaned, and then licked her lips as though she was tasting a delicious morsel named Severus. "It is wonderful."

Ginny laughed, "I know that 'mmm' Mione. Just how is Severus?"

"What do you mean?"

"In bed. You know that's what I meant!" Ginny said exasperatedly.

"Ginny," Hermione pleaded. "Not here, in front of everyone."

"Everyone here is experienced, Hermione."

"Yes," agreed Narcissa. "We are all experienced women." She winked outrageously at Hermione.

Minerva spoke up, "My husband was a tiger."

The younger women were appalled, but Luna said, "With all of the Gibberblums that float about Professor Snape, he is sure to be quite endowed. Is he?"

Hermione choked and Ginny thumped her on the back. "Well," she said, "having no basis of comparison, I would say...yes?"

Ginny asked, "Have you measured it?"

"WHAT?" Hermione squeaked.

Luna answered, rather nonchalantly, "Draco is about—"

Narcissa shuddered, "For the love of Merlin, please do not go there. A mother doesn't want to know that about her son."

Ginny looked at Narcissa and asked, "Well?"

She muttered, "Twenty centimetres."

Luna turned her mother-in-law's statement back on her with a shudder.

Minerva said, "Reginald was about nineteen if I remember."

"Harry is twenty."

All the other women looked at Hermione. "He's twenty-five."

All the women laughed and Ginny declared, "Severus wins!"

"Okay," Hermione said, the champagne making her feel more brave, "how does Lucius _use_ it though?"

"He uses it very well, Hermione," Narcissa said primly.

"I mean, how long can he last?"

"With or without potions?"

"Without."

"Well," Narcissa blushed. "We are older…about an hour."

Ginny laughed, "I love Harry, I really do, but I don't refer to him as 'one shot Harry' for nothing."

"Draco is very good in bed," Luna said proudly.

Minerva said, "Reg was good too. He had this way of moving his hips that hit just the right spot." She shivered in remembrance.

Hermione began, "Severus is…demanding in the very best of ways." She giggled. "I get tired way sooner than him. We've gone all night before."

All the women gaped at her. "Well, what can I say?" Hermione shrugged.

"Okay, beside the obvious, what else is he good at?" asked Luna.

"He can kiss. Oh, can he kiss. And his hands..." Hermione shivered with delight as her eyes went out of focus for a bit.

"Lucius has very talented lips," Narcissa said pointedly. "Sometimes that's all I want!"

The other women quickly agreed.

"Minerva," asked Hermione. "After Reg, was there anyone?"

"Yes. I fancied Albus for quite a while, but when I learned he was a homosexual, I came to care for him as just a dear friend. But, yes, there were one or two other men."

"Anyone we know?" asked Ginny.

"No. I met them all while on vacation when I was much younger. There hasn't been anyone in a very long time. Not that I wouldn't turn down the chance, but I am settled with who I am, and the need can be taken care of with magic, if you know what I mean," she said, winking.

"Don't I know it!" exclaimed Narcissa.

Hermione blushed and Narcissa caught it. "Hermione…why the blush?"

"Let's just say Severus is very willing to be experimental with magic during sex."

A cackle of laughter swelled from the women.

"Okay, ladies, it's time to get our hair done," said Ginny. "We've been in here long enough."

"Yes, and we now know whose husband is better at some things than others," laughed Narcissa.

"What do you suppose the men are talking about at their poker game?" asked Luna, pulling her hair into a queue.

Ginny laughed as they wrapped their dressing gowns around themselves. "Us, what did you expect?"

The women burst out laughing as they made their way to the salon to get their hair done, each happily contemplating the evening ahead with their husbands.

"You know," said Minerva to Narcissa, "isn't Thaddeus Maddox was attending the ball tonight?"

Narcissa answered, "Yes, as a matter of fact he is. Oh, Minerva, he is very handsome."

"And a widow, if I remember right," said Minerva, smiling.

Hermione overheard the women and teased, "Perhaps you won't need magic tonight if you play your cards right, Minerva!"

"We shall see, Hermione. We shall see!"


	21. Chapter 21

**Thought I'd let the menfolk have their say! Hope you enjoy!**

**JKR owns it, I just play with it in a disgustingly fluffy manner.**

* * *

January 29, 2013: For Worse

Cigar smoke wreathed the table in the centre of the Malfoy's drawing room where four men sat playing poker. Cards, poker chips, and food lay around, including copious bottles of Muggle beer and Wizard whiskey.

"Who's in?" asked Lucius, palming the deck of cards in his hands.

"I think I am," Harry said, throwing in a galleon.

"Me too," Draco said.

Severus looked over his cards and threw in a galleon.

Lucius dealt the cards as the other men mulled over their hands and discarded the unwanted cards, and then looked at his own.

"What do you think the women are up to?" asked Harry.

Draco blew a ring of smoke and then answered, "If I know Mother and Minerva, they are three sheets to the wind and about to reveal secrets we daren't consider."

Harry and Draco laughed, taking gulps of their beverages.

Severus, removing the cigar from his mouth and laughing, said, "If I know Minerva, she'll wheedle things out of Hermione without her realising it."

"How is married life, Severus?" Lucius asked.

"Tolerable," he answered enigmatically.

"The sex?" Lucius asked.

"Excellent; that is one area is where Hermione is a quick and experimental study."

"Oh? Do tell," Lucius demanded.

Harry interrupted, "No, do not go there at all. I do not want to know about Hermione in that way."

Severus laughed again. "Trust me Harry, that's one thing I will not tell anyone about."

"You know the women will be comparing," said Draco.

"What I don't hear, didn't happen," Severus said smugly. "I raise ten." He threw some galleons into the middle of the table.

"So, how are the other aspect of married life, Severus?" asked Draco.

Severus sighed. "I've eaten some of the worst food in my life. Hermione can't cook." The other men sniggered.

"Go on," said Harry. "She can do just about everything else, but she can't cook? Although as I remember, she wasn't much at cooking when we were on the run."

"She can do toast and make sandwiches, but that's about it. I've drunk enough heartburn potion to fill a bathtub. Our worst fight to date was when I suggested she enrol in a Muggle cooking class."

Harry roared with laughter. Lucius and Draco looked confused, so while Harry was laughing, Severus quickly explained what happened at Muggle cooking lessons. When they understood, the Malfoy men joined in the laughter.

Lucius, getting himself under control confessed, "Narcissa can't sing. She does everything else beautifully, but she can't carry a tune. She has a voice that would make a house elf cry. I remember once when Draco was little and Narcissa was singing to him as she carried him around the house. Draco covered her mouth his with hands and said 'No sing, Mummy'."

The group laughed while Draco blushed.

"Ginny, believe it or not, can't do laundry," said Harry. "You'd have thought Molly would have taught her how to do it. Turned my Auror robes pink the first time she washed them. " Harry shook his head while the other men smirked, picturing Harry in pink robes at work. "I had to wear plain robes to work and swing by Madam Malkin's to pick up a new set."

"I love Luna with all my heart," Draco interjected, "but I really can't abide by all the flowmangle, blumbibbles, and crunky lorax or whatever it's called. Did you know she says that the more blumbibbles you have floating around you, the more endowed you are? Can you believe that rubbish?"

Lucius coughed out a bit of whiskey onto the table and turned abruptly in his chair to look at his son. "Merlin's tiny testicles," he gasped. "That's what she means? She always tells me I have quite a few floating about me. I just thought she was being, well…Looney."

"I'll overlook that smear against my wife, Father, but yes, that's what she means."

Severus stood up to get a fresh bottle of whiskey from the drinks trolley. When he returned, he said, "Look, are we going to play poker or gossip like women? Come on now; back to the game."

"Oooh, Severus," said Harry teasingly. "Did we touch on a sensitive subject? Don't have many blimbumbles?"

"Blumbibbles," Draco corrected.

"I assure you, Mr. Potter, I have a cadre of the blasted things, whatever you call them. Now PLAY!"

All four men chuckled as galleons clinked into the centre of the table and they silently considered their cards.

"So, you make Hermione very happy, then?" Draco asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," said Harry, choking back more laughter. "Can you ensnare her senses, and bewitch her—"

Severus reached over and smacked both his godson and Harry round their heads. "Yes, very, all the time, until she screams. Now shut up and play!" He looked at Lucius who smirking. "And you can shut up as well, or I will tell Draco about your bachelor party and the hex that stripped placed on your bits."

Lucius quickly wiped the smirk from his face and said, "I raise fifteen."

* * *

**The part where Draco puts his hands over his mother's mouth? Worry Jr. did it to me when he was about a year and a half old. "No sing, Mommy!" he said. I admit I can't carry a tune in a bucket with handles.**


	22. Chapter 22

January 30, 2013: Grandparents, Infants, And Magic, Oh, My!

"Do you think Severus and Hermione are in Italy yet?" asked Jean Granger as she settled onto the sofa, reaching for the cup of tea her husband, David, handed her.

"Oh, I am sure," said David as he sat next to his wife. "They did that diapoperating thing they do."

"Honestly David; it's 'Disapparate', and they would have Apparated not Disapparated," she corrected her husband, shaking her head and then sipped her tea.

"How long is Severus' conference?"

"Just three days,' Jean replied. "Hermione was going to sightsee during the day, and then they'd have their nights to themselves. They should enjoy it. I know we did when we visited several years ago."

"I know; Hermione asked me if we still had some of the brochures to take along." David sipped at his own cup of tea and looked thoughtfully at the program on the telly. "Did she say anything to you about Steven before she left?"

"No, should she have?"

"I don't think so. She was telling me that she and Severus were a bit worried that the baby hasn't shown any sign of magic yet. Apparently Severus manifested magic when he was a bit younger than Steven."

David began to laugh. "Do you remember when Hermione showed magic?" He smiled at Jean with an evil grin.

"Oh, David," she said as she began to laugh. "All those times we thought she was simply being naughty, and she was just experiencing uncontrolled magic! Remember the time she put black pepper in all the girls' milk bottles during elevenses? She had been angry because one of the girls pulled her hair…again."

"Or the time she changed all the colours of the walls in the school kitchens when the kitchen matron wouldn't give her some more sprouts?"

"Oh, and the time she re-arranged the entire public library because she realised the encyclopaedias had been misfiled?"

The couple laughed a bit more at their innocence about their daughter's incredible talents. Jean sobered first and asked, "Did we do her wrong by not recognizing her magical abilities earlier?"

"How could we have? We had no idea magic really existed until that Professor McGonagall showed up at our doorstep. After that, we did the best we could. We've always encouraged her pursuit of knowledge; she just did it differently that we had envisioned. Did we do wrong? No, I don't think so." He picked up his wife's hand and held it in his own. "She's an incredible woman, a loving wife, and a good mother. She has a wonderful career that she loves. What more could we ask for? She accomplished all we hoped and dreamed for her, just in a different way."

Jean leant toward her husband and kissed him. "Of course, you're right dear. She is a wonderful woman. Come, let's go check on Steven and head to bed."

The next day was warm and sunny, so the Grangers decided to take Steven to the local fresh market stalls in town. After dressing and feeding Steven, who laughed, smiled and babbled the whole time, Jean placed him in his pram, and they left the house.

The stroll to the centre of town was lovely, and they met several friends along the way. Proudly Jean and David showed off their grandson and answered questions about Hermione and Severus' whereabouts.

Arriving at the fresh food market, they wandered around, buying some vegetables. Steven continued to babble and play with the few toys Jean had placed in his pram.

When it first happened, the Grangers suspected it was the light breeze that was blowing that caused it to happen. But when it happened three more times, they became suspicious.

"David, do you think Steven did it?"

"How could he, he can't talk."

"Hermione said Severus showed his..." she spoke the next word _sotto voce,_ "magic…when he was just over a year old."

"Well, even if Steven is showing magic, that just seemed to much like a pattern to be random. Wouldn't he be doing it just randomly right now? It's not like he can control it."

Jean looked at him incredulously. "Think about who his parents are."

David smiled proudly, "Oh, right!"

"Look, you walk over there, and then look back at us. I'll stop at this stall and look at some vegetable. See if you him doing anything."

David walked about one hundred yards from his wife and grandson and turned back to look at them. Steven was sitting up in his pram, a huge smile on his face, as he looked around at all the brightly coloured marquees. His dark eyes, so like his father's, where alight with excitement.

Suddenly it happened again!

David bit back his laughter when he saw why it happened and rushed over to tell his wife. "Go on," he said, "go over there was watch."

Jean scurried over to the same place David had stood and then looked back at the baby. She clapped her hands over her mouth and danced in place with excitement.

"Oh David, we must tell the children! Let's hurry home and send them an owl. Hermione left Stanislaw for us to use if we needed to contact them."

A pecking at the window woke Hermione from a sound sleep. Groaning, she got out of bed and went to the window. Opening it, Stanislaw hopped in.

"Oh, is everything okay at home, Stan?" The owl stuck out his leg and Hermione took the letter. She gave Stan a treat and scratched his head. She ripped the letter open, and read quickly.

With a squeal of delight, she dove for the bed to wake up her husband. "Severus, Severus wake up! A letter from mum!" She rattled the parchment in his face.

"Hermione, it's- -" he looked at his watch, "three in the morning! What on earth?"

"We got a letter from Mum! Steven manifested magic!" She smiled hugely and hugged Severus, cutting off his breath

Severus peeled his wife off him and took the letter from her. He read it quickly, and began to laugh. "Hermione did you read the entire letter or just the part about his manifesting magic?"

"What do you mean?"

In his sleep roughened voice, Severus read:

_Dear Severus and Hermione,_

_Your mother and I are thrilled to tell you that Steven manifested his magic today! We are so pleased we were able to recognize it after not knowing what to look for when Hermione was younger._

_Anyway, we were at the market stall day with Steven, who was in his pram, smiling and laughing away. When it first happened, we thought it was the breeze, but when it began happening with regularity, we became suspicious and carefully watched Steven._

_That was when we discovered what he was doing. He would wave his little hands whenever a woman in a skirt was nearby. This would cause the woman's skirt to blow upward, exposing their knickers._

At this, Hermione gasped, "NO. He did not do that!"

"Let me continue!" laughed Severus.

_Hermione, mum here; I know you wouldn't believe Daddy, but it's true! I nearly wet myself with laughter when I saw him do it!_

_We could barely get him home before he did it four more times! We so excited we just had to tell you. Perhaps when you get home you can do that memory pensy thing you do and look at it yourselves._

_Steven is well and a happy little boy_

_See you soon, _

_Mum and Dad_

Severus, who had been laughing as he read the letter, laughed all the harder when he looked at Hermione's shocked face.

"You pictured something more dignified for his first magical manifestation?" he laughingly gasped.

"Well, yes! Stop laughing! He was lifting women's skirts!"

"Like his father, he appreciates a woman's bum," Severus said smugly.

"He's too little to appreciate anything like that!"

"Oh, love. Settle down. Once we get home and retrieve your parents' memories, I am sure we'll find it as funny as they did."

"I suppose," she said morosely.

Severus pulled his wife closer to him and lay back down with her nestled into his shoulder. "And now we know he's not a squib; not that that was a fear anyway. Now go to sleep."

After a few minutes, Hermione asked, "Severus?"

"Hmm?"

"How many women's bums have you been admiring?"

"Only yours love, only yours."

After another moment of silence Hermione asked, "Severus?"

"Yes?"

"Nice save."

Laughing, he rolled over and kissed Hermione. With a hearty grope to her buttocks, he said, "Go to sleep, Hermione, you silly woman."

* * *

**There MIGHT have been a moment in my past where some black pepper got into the milk of a fellow classmate. I MIGHT have had to stay inside during recess to write lines. This MIGHT have happened in the first grade. Yeah.**


	23. Chapter 23

**It is rather ironic that we are having such wind, sleet, and snow here in Central PA as I am posting this particular vignette. I had actually written it several weeks ago!**

* * *

January 31, 2013: A Dark And Stormy Night

England was experiencing summer storms like it hadn't had in at least twenty years. Day after day, rain swelled the rivers and canals to flood stages in many areas, and in many others, water overflowed the banks. All over the United Kingdom, there were reports of flash flooding, heavy damage, and stranded families.

Spinner's End was not exempt from the wind and rain. The canal not far from the house had filled with water and crested at the edge of the retaining walls.

Steven Snape was warned to stay away and in fact, knowing the nature of little boys and knowing he was his mother's son, Severus Snape cast protective wards all along the canal in order to keep him from falling in.

Both Sarah and Steven were bored and whiny. They could not play outside, and they had exhausted their store of games and books.

Hermione and Severus had discussed going away for a vacation to somewhere the children could run and play, but Severus had a contract with St. Mungo's to complete research on his nerve damage potion, and he could not go away. He encouraged Hermione to go, but she didn't want to leave without Severus.

The days passed slowly and wetly. If that were not enough, thunderstorms had been forecast for the end of the week with damaging hail and even more wind.

Severus had Apparated home in the midst of the storm. The sound of the thunder covered up the sound of his Apparition, so when he walked into the sitting room, no one heard him.

He watched his family as they sat occupied with their tasks. Well, at least Hermione and Steven were occupied; Sarah had fallen asleep over her colouring book. Hermione was reading a book and sipping tea, and Steven was using the Muggle building block set his grandparents had sent him for his birthday.

Steven caught his dad's presence out of the corner of his eye. When he looked up to greet him, Severus motioned to him to be quiet. With a conspiratorial wink, Severus snuck up on Hermione and placed his cold hands on her head. She screeched, flinging the teacup from her hand and dropping her book. The scream woke up Sarah, and Steven was roaring with laughter. There was enough noise to bother Crookshanks who dropped off the couch and stomped out of the room.

"Severus! I could have had a heart attack. And you stop that, young man," she said to Steven, giving him a clip around his head. "Look, you woke up Sarah, and this was the first time she's been quiet today."

Hermione picked up her book and began to stomp out of the room. "_You_," she pointed to Severus, "can put the children to bed. They both need a bath. I am going to go to our room and have a bath myself."

The room was mostly silent upon Hermione's pronouncement. Sarah was whimpering now, complaining she was hungry as she waddled over to her father and begged to be picked up.

Picking the girl up, Severus said, "Hello Peanut. Don't you feel well?" He kissed her forehead.

"Daddy, you scared me."

"I'm sorry. Do you want a snack before your bath?"

"No wanna baff," she complained.

"Mummy said you need one, and we don't want to make Mummy mad, do we?"

"Yeah, well, Dad you should have thought about that before you scared her."

"No one asked for your input, squirt," he said to Steven. "Now, we'll get a quick snack, and then I'll bathe your sister and you can take yours."

Later that evening, as the family slept, thunder clapped and lightening lit up the sky. Hermione woke only slightly, long enough to move closer to her husband, who by instinct wrapped her into his arms.

It wasn't long until their intimate slumber was disturbed by a door slamming open and a very small, wiggly body jumping onto the bed.

With startled _oofs_, Severus and Hermione quickly peeled themselves apart and made room for their daughter, who was in tears.

"Mummy, the sound hurts me," Sarah sobbed.

"Oh, Peanut, the sound can't hurt you," Hermione said softly, as she smoothed her daughter's wild black curls.

"But when it booms, it makes my chest rumble."

"You mean you feel the vibration in your chest?" asked Severus.

"No, Da. It rumbles like when you tell me stories. I can feel your rumbles here." She put her hand on Severus' bare chest.

"Ah," he said. Hermione often said that she could feel his voice in her chest when they lay close and talked.

"Peanut, would you like to stay here a while?" Hermione asked. Severus and Hermione did not allow the children to sleep in their bed, but the occasional snuggle was allowed.

"Yes, please."

As the trio settled down, another body appeared in the room, wiping sleep from his eyes.

"What's all the noise?"

"The storm. Your sister was frightened," said Severus.

"Oh."

"Steven, you weren't frightened by the storm, were you?" Hermione asked.

"Me? Nah." He sheepishly looked at his parents, and his father raised in eyebrow. "Maybe just a little."

"Would you like to stay for a while? Perhaps we can persuade Dad to tell a story about Merlin?"

"Oh, yes, please!" said Steven as he scrambled onto the bed and settled at his parents' feet. Hermione threw the rug she kept on a chair next to the bed over him.

When everyone settled down again, and Severus began a tale of Merlin and Arthurian Knights. It wasn't long until he noticed Sarah had fallen back asleep, and as he continued the story, he poked Hermione to show her their sleeping daughter.

Hermione took a look at Steven, who had also fallen asleep. She motioned to Severus who stopped talking.

Quietly, Hermione said, "Which one do you want to levitate to their room."

"I'll take the boy, you take Sarah."

It didn't take long for them to tuck their children back into bed. Hermione was fully awake and decided a spot of tea would help her get back to sleep. She padded downstairs to make a cup for her and Severus.

"Oh, there you are," Severus said as he entered the kitchen, seeing Hermione looking out the window while the kettle boiled. "What are you looking at?" He approached Hermione and wrapped her in his arms.

"I was making a cup of tea for us when I got caught up looking the lightening."

"The thunder has died down," Severus replied, "but the lightening is beautiful. Come on, I want to show you something."

Severus lead them up the stairs and then to the door that lead to the attic. "When I was younger, before Hogwarts, I discovered this during a lightning storm one night."

"What were you doing in the attic?"

"My father's idea of reverse psychology when I was younger. I woke up during a storm and went into their bedroom. My father was mad and so decided that I needed to 'get over it'. He dragged me to the attic and locked me in.

"For while, I hid behind some boxes, but after a while I came out and found that if I opened the skylight, I could see for miles and miles. It was rather beautiful. I never told the old man about it, but every storm after that, I would sneak to the attic and watch."

By now the couple were beneath the skylight and Severus opened it up. Getting a box for Hermione to stand on, they stood and watched the lightening.

"Is that why you let the children into bed for a bit during storms?"

"Yes. I am trying, Hermione, not to be the father my old man was."

"You're doing beautifully Severus. You've never given the children a single reason to believe you don't love them unconditionally."

"Thank you. I love them more than my own life."

Hermione turned to kiss her husband's cheek. "I love you. And this was a beautiful idea; it was lovely watching the lightening. I think the storm has moved on though."

"Agreed. Come on, let's head back to bed."

"Do you want any tea?"

"No, I don't think so. Let's just try to get some more sleep. The kids get up horrible early."

"That they do." Hermione kissed her husband again and took his hand leading him from the attic. They checked on the kids once more, and then finally got back into their own bed.

Silently they settled down and moved into their normal sleeping position.

Outside the wind blew as it had done for the past several weeks, but the family slept soundly.

* * *

**Worry Jr. never came into our room during storms. That boy could sleep through a herd of elephants dancing through his room. Thank goodness, because getting him to go to sleep was a chore! He still sleeps like the dead even as a young adult.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanks to FanFiclvr for the name of the Snape's new baby. His name is Mercer, which means shopkeeper. I immediately chose it as I knew that it would fit in well with this chapter and be symbolic of the ultimate outcome.**

* * *

1 February 2013: Dreams Come True

Hermione adjusted the baby sling across her body before she left the dungeon quarters where she lived ten months out of the year. _"Perhaps this won't be home much longer,"_ she thought as she closed the portrait behind her.

The weight of her fourth child, Mercer, who was nestled within its depth, bounced against her stomach as she walked. He was only two months' old, and Hermione had not gone back to work yet, but she walked around the castle daily in an effort to take off some of the weight she had gained during pregnancy.

She often met Severus as she walked and today she was quite anxious to find him. He should just be finishing up with his third year class. She needed to talk to him and show him the papers that she had tucked in beside her son.

She arrived at his classroom and waited until the throng of students filed out. The bright faced students said hello to their DADA Professor, and a few of the girls asked if they could see the baby. Hermione indulged them and took Mercer out of the sling to be _oohed_ and _aahed_ at. One brave girl looked hard at the baby and then at his father, who had come to the door, disbelieving that the snarky dungeon bat could ever produce such a gorgeous baby.

"I suggest you take your incredulity elsewhere, Miss Stone; you'll be late for your next class," Severus drawled as he took the baby from his wife's arms and cradled him to his chest. "I assure you, I am the boy's father."

The girl scurried away, and the Snapes turned into the empty classroom. "Severus, must you taunt the students so?"

"I get a little tired of the looks of surprise that I fathered children. In fact," he sighed, "I get a little more sick of this drudgery every year. How has he been today?" Severus pulled Mercer closer in order to smell his head and place a kiss upon his forehead.

"He's been eating well today. And he's been smiling more!" Hermione answered happily.

"Did you have trouble getting Marni off to preschool today?" he asked, watching as his son slept , making tiny facial grimaces in his sleep.

"No. Angelina Weasley came and got her. She and Angelina's daughter go to the same school, so she offered to take Marni for me. It's makes one less headache for me in the morning."

"Do you think she has adjusted to having a new baby in the house?

"I think so. She hasn't cried for no reason in a few days, and she actually helped me dress him this morning."

Severus handed his son back to Hermione and then rustled through the papers on his desk. "I need to start some grading; did you need anything in particular?"

Hermione smiled, leaning toward Severus and kissing him. "Yes, love, I did particularly want to see you. I have something to show you." She dug the papers out of her bag and handed them to him.

Severus opened the packet of papers and read through them. "Hermione, what is this?"

"Those are the dividends from the shares of my father's estate; you know that I had sold them back to the partners a while ago. I had invested them in Muggle stocks at first, but turned them over to Gringotts to manage for me. As you can see, they've done marvellously!"

"You are quite a rich woman," he said tightly.

"No, love, _we_ are quite rich. Well, at least for what I had in mind. Severus, you once told him about a dream, do you remember?"

Severus looked nonplussed for a moment before he answered, "Yes. I remember telling you that I wanted to stop teaching and own my own shop. But we have the children to provide for and teaching does that."

"Severus, I know that we have the children to provide for, but look; there is enough money to buy a small shop, maybe something with a flat above. With Steven and Sarah here ten months out of the year, we don't need anything large. There is also enough money to buy ingredients and stock. Your dream can come true!"

"But it's not your dream, Hermione, it's mine. I couldn't possibly do something so selfish as take the money and use it for something that isn't for the whole family."

Hermione grabbed her husband's robes and pulled him from his chair so that that she was face to nose with him. "Listen to me, Severus Tobias Snape. You have been the most unselfish man I have ever known for your entire life. You've done things that no other human could endure so that three idiot children could stay alive and win a war. Little does anyone else know that without you, that war would have been over before Harry Potter got out of his first year.

You gave up your dream to provide me a home when we first got married, for the children we created, and for these students. It is time you stopped being selfish." She let his robes go, and he slumped into his chair.

"I did this for you, love. As equally as you provide for me, I want to provide for you. Please," she pushed the papers closer to him. "Take some time to think this through. It's April now; Minerva will need time to find a new Potions professor to teach."

Hermione kissed his cheek and turned to leave. "I'll see you at dinner," she said, closing the door to the classroom behind her.

Severus was stunned. Never had Hermione spoken to him like that, except perhaps when they had a fight. She always quietly considered his opinion during discussions and rarely raised her voice.

He re-read the papers. He had never seen that many zeros on a bank statement in his life. They could easily afford a shop and from the looks of things, a house rather than a flat. He threw the papers on the desk and sat back in his chair, his hands behind his head, and closed his eyes.

He was not a man prone to daydreaming or thoughts not directed to solving a potions problem, school or home matters but for once, he allowed himself a moment of fancy. In his mind, he had stocked the shelves of the shop and set up the lab in the back. He had seen Hermione at the counter, assisting customers. He had seen the window inscribed with the name of the shop, _'Snape and Sons'._

He opened his eyes and sat up. Picking up the papers and he looked at the bottom line again. Hermione said that she was happy to provide him with what he needed for this dream. She wanted him to be selfish for once in his life.

Snatching a piece of paper from his drawer and rummaging for a quill from under the essays on his desk, he quickly began to write.

* * *

The rest of the school year flew. NEWTs and OWLs were administered and trunks packed. Down in the dungeons, there was an upheaval of activity. The Snapes were leaving Hogwarts. Not just for the summer, but for good.

Severus Snape decided to chase his dream. With the approval of the Headmistress and more importantly, his family, _Snape and Sons_ was a reality. They would spend the summer at Spinner's End, getting it ready to sell, look for a new home, and get the shop stocked and ready to open in time for the new school year. The Headmistress had convinced the Board of Governors to allow students to procure their potions supplies at the shop.

The staff followed the Snapes as they headed for the main gates. With hugs all around from the female staff members at least—certainly no one but Poppy and Minerva dared to hug Severus—the gates opened, and the Snapes walked out. They'd be Apparating to Spinner's End instead of taking the train.

Behind them, the gates clanged shut. Severus turned and looked back at the castle, watching his former colleagues walk toward it. Hermione came quietly up behind him and slipped her hand into his.

"Are you all right?"

Severus cleaned his voice before answering her. "I think so. Did I make the right decision Hermione? This castle has been my home since 1971."

"Only you know the answer to that, Severus."

Severus turned to his wife. Mercer was snuggled down into the baby sling and Steven, Sarah, and Marni stood waiting just several yards away. He broke into a smile and took his wife's face between his hands.

"Yes, Hermione, I've made the second best decision in my whole life. The first was when I entrusted my life to you on our wedding day. I knew you would always be by my side no matter what decisions I made. I love you." He kissed her then, just exactly as he had kissed her on their wedding day; a kiss of love and promise and of a future together.

"Let's go," he said.


	25. Chapter 25

February 2, 2013: Happy Anniversary

After deciding on a Muggle restaurant for their anniversary dinner, Severus and Hermione were sitting at a quiet table, sipping their drinks and looking over their menus.

A candle burned between them, which annoyed Severus, so he moved it to the side. "There," he said. "Now I can see you more clearly, my dear."

Hermione smiled at him and picked her drink, taking a sip and then asking, "What have you decided on?"

"I believe I will have the coq au vin, garlic potatoes and a house salad."

"I'll think I'll have the chef salad," she said a bit dejectedly. Her tone of voice suggested she wanted something else entirely.

"Hermione," Severus said, exasperatedly. "It's our fifteenth anniversary dinner. Surely you'll order something a little more...celebratory?"

"Severus! I've put on so much weight since we've been married. I need to get it under control!"

Severus put his menu down and made a show of looking over his wife, or at least as much as his wife he could see from their seated positions.

"Have I said anything to you about your weight?" he asked, eyebrow arched.

"Well, no," Hermione answered.

"There then. Until I say something, and you know I would, you've no need to diet. Order something nice."

At the table beside them, a couple laughed quietly. They were not much older looking than Severus. The man was dressed in a sweater and tie, the woman in a nice black dress.

Severus caught the sound of their laughter and glared at them. "Are we amusing you?"

The round faced woman, who wore glasses, smiled and said, "We are sorry, but we couldn't help but laugh. Just before you were seated, we were having the same discussion about food choices." She turned to face Hermione. "It seems our husbands prefer us just the way we are; warts, bumps and all!" She waved her hand down her own plump figure.

"So it seems," Hermione said, smiling at the woman, and placing her hand over Severus'.

The man and Severus just rolled their eyes at each other. The man said to the woman, "Is there no one you can't strike up a conversation with?"

Severus said, "You have a chatterbox, too?"

"And then some," the man agreed, but smiled with love at his wife.

At this point, the waiter returned with a tray and placed a scrumptious looking chocolate cake before couple seated beside the Snapes. He asked if they needed anything else. After they shook their heads, no, he wished them happy anniversary and left.

Hermione leant over toward the other table. "You are celebrating your anniversary as well?

The woman said, "Yes; our twenty-fifth."

Hermione smiled. "The silver. Congratulations. We are here celebrating our fifteenth."

"The crystal" replied the round faced woman. "Congratulations!" She lifted her glass and indicated to her husband to do the same. "Best wishes," she said, and she and her husband toasted the Snapes.

The Snapes returned the favour and as they set their glasses down, their waiter arrived and took their order.

Before long, the man and woman stood to leave. After slipping into their coats, they wished the Snapes happy anniversary again and received the same in return.

Hermione watched them leave, a sentimental look on her face. "Severus, do you think we'll be as happy as they seem to be in another ten years?"

"Hermione, compared to all we've been through in our lives to this point, every morning I wake up with you in my bed means I'll be happy."

"We've had our ups and downs haven't we?"

"We have. I am sure any couple who stays married for a long time does. We are not so special Hermione."

"You are special to me," she said emphatically. I love you."

Severus squeezed her hand. "I love you, too."

* * *

When Mr. Worrywart and I went to dinner for an anniversary many years ago (probably our ninth or tenth), we were actually seated at the restaurant next to a couple who shared our anniversary. They were well up into double digits anniversary wise, beyond forty if I remember correctly. Although we did not share a conversation with the couple, we did toast each other and wished each other happy anniversary.

Mr. Worry was the one who chose our wedding date. We eloped while overseas and he said to me, how many people do you know get married on Groundhog's Day? Every year I say that if the groundhog sees its shadow, we get six more years of marriage.

We've had our ups and downs for sure. We have a beautiful son as a tribute of our love and for that, I am grateful. We moved house three times, Mr. changed jobs twice and several times for me. I went back to school to earn my degree. We've watched our son grown from a happy little blond headed boy to a wonderful, intelligent, dark haired man.

As we begin the second quarter of our marriage, we will continue to deal with our lives; Mr. Worry has a illness that has thrown us for a loop, and we've had to relearn our roles in our marriage, but we have learned _exactly_ what the vows of 'in sickness and in health' mean. We look forward to Worry Jr. hopefully getting married and a few grandchildren (anyone got any single daughters?)

That is marriage. Plain and simple; for better or worse, in sickness and in health, I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.

This ends the tribute to my twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. You've given me the gift of your wonderful reviews and memories of your own and your children's younger days, you're own marriage experiences, and simply your enjoyment of the story. I am so glad I decided to spend the twenty-five days leading to this date with you.


End file.
